UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA     AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT  STATION 
COLLEGE   OF  AGRICULTURE  BENJ    'DE  WHEELER-  P""'""T 

THOMAS     FORSYTH     HUNT,    DEAN  AND   DIRECTOR 

BERKELEY  H.    E.   VAN    NORMAN.   Vige-Director   and   Dean 

University  Farm  School 


CIRCULAR  No.  193 

March,  1918 


A  STUDY  OF  FARM  LABOR 
IN  CALIFORNIA 


R.  L.  ADAMS  and  T.  R.  KELLY 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  California,  Davis  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/studyoffarmlabor193adam 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA     AGRICULTURAL    EXPERIMENT  STATION 
COLLEGE   OF  AGRICULTURE  BCNJ'  '"  WHEELER'  M...»«t 

THOMAS    FORSYTH    HUNT,    Dean  and  Director 

BERKELEY  H-  E-  van  norman,  vice-director  and  dfan 

University  Farm  School 


CIRCULAR  No.  193 
March,  1918 

A  Study  of  Farm  Labor  in  California 

By  E.  L.  ADAMS  and  T.  R.  KELLY 


Many  agencies,  ranging  from  the  United  States  departments  to  the 
private  employment  bureaus,  are  trying  to  help  the  California  farmer 
secure  his  labor  supply.  Thus  far  the  sum  total  of  the  work  has 
resulted  in  a  somewhat  better  utilization  of  present  supplies  but  has 
not  greatly  helped  in  adding  to  the  total  supply. 

One  good  result  of  the  past  season  is  a  growing  realization  that  the 
farmers '  labor  problem  also  vitally  concerns  the  State  and  that,  if  crop 
production  is  to  be  maintained,  to  say  nothing  of  being  increased, 
everyone  must  help — organized  labor,  the  railroads,  the  general  public, 
the  military  authorities,  as  well  as  the  farmer  and  farm  worker. 

The  burden  of  proving  the  need  for  labor  rests  with  the  farmer  and 
the  State,  but  a  goodly  share  of  meeting  that  need,  once  it  is  fully 
determined,  rests  with  the  entire  country. 

In  presenting  conditions,  findings,  and  possible  remedies  in  this 
report,  it  should  be  clearly  understood  that  the  office  of  State  Farm 
Labor  Agent,  to  represent  the  University  of  California  College  of 
Agriculture,  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  and  the 
State  Council  of  Defense,  was  created  solely  to  foster  and  assist  in 
every  way  the  labor  supply,  as  it  affects  the  production  of  food,  feed, 
and  fiber  necessary  to  the  conduct  of  the  war. 

Whether  existing  ranch  conditions  are  good  or  bad  for  society  or 
labor  is  not  strictly  pertinent  to  a  war  emergency  office ;  nevertheless, 
while  plans  for  greater  production  must  utilize  all  resources,  only 
changes  should  be  advocated  which  will  not  tend  to  a  dangerous 
aftermath  upon  the  conclusion  of  the  war. 

DEFINITION  OF  FARM  LABOR  SHORTAGE 

The  term  "farm  labor  shortage"  is  subject  to  several  definitions. 

One  definition  considers  a  shortage  as  occurring  only  when  actual 

crop  losses  are  sustained  from  lack  of  labor.     These  losses  may  be  in 


acreage  not  actually  planted,  or  in  reduced  quantity  or  quality  of 
crops  or  animal  products,  directly  traceable  to  labor  insufficiency  or 
inefficiency. 

A  second  definition  accepts  a  shortage  as  existing  whenever  labor 
is  less  efficient,  commands  increased  wages,  demands  a  shorter  day,  or 
is  notoriously  difficult  to  .obtain. 

It  would  seem  unfortunate  if  we  must  reach  a  state  of  actual 
losses  in  production  before  shortage  of  labor  is  recognized,  since  in 
agriculture  the  time  consumed  in  obtaining  a  remedy  is  of  the  utmost 
importance. 

In  this  report  a  ' '  farm  labor  shortage ' '  is  considered  to  be  present 
whenever  one  or  more  of  the  following  factors  are  being  generally 
experienced  by  farmers  throughout  the  state. 

(a)  Losses  in  acreage,  quantity,  or  quality,  of  normal  production. 

(b)  Inability  to  expand  sufficiently  to  meet  war  demands  for 
products,  especially  those  specifically  requested  by  the  federal  govern- 
ment. 

(c)  Payment  of  higher  than  normal  wages,  either  as  cash  or  as 
perquisites. 

(d)  Importation  of  labor  from  outside  sources. 

(e)  Difficulty  in  obtaining  and  holding  men. 

1917  EVIDENCES  OF  FARM  LABOR  SHORTAGE 

In  reviewing  the  large  mass  of  data  upon  lessened  production  due 
to  shortage  of  labor,  several  facts  stands  out.  No  state-wide  losses  in 
crops  actually  planted,  nor  serious  reduction  in  amount  of  cropped 
acreages,  has  resulted  because  *of  labor  shortages.  Losses  are  scattered, 
local,  and  mostly  individual,  the  sum  total  being  surprisingly  small. 

The  most  serious  losses  have  taken  place  in  sugar  beets,  alfalfa, 
beans,  certain  fruits,  and  some  vegetables.  Of  the  more  than  two 
thousand  farmers  operating  a  total  acreage  of  over  225,000  acres,  as 
reported  from  farm  center  meetings,  the  losses  in  acreage  are  negligible. 
Losses  in  quantity  are  mose  apparent  than  losses  in  acreage,  and  in 
some  instances  are  quite  marked.  Losses  in  quality  were  not  as  out- 
standing as  losses  in  quantity.  Of  the  seventy-three  firms  operating 
over  an  acreage  of  more  than  348,000  acres,  one  reports  the  loss  of 
25,000  tons  of  alfalfa  hay,  another  estimates  losses  in  cash  as  amount- 
ing to  over  $200,000,  and  a  third  estimates  losses  at  $150,000.  Vaca 
Valley  estimates  its  fruit  losses  at  $62,500. 

It  would  appear  from  the  evidence  that  the  small  farmer  got 
through  the  season  with  relatively  less  difficulty  than  the  large  operator, 


while  generally  the  less  favored  sections  suffered  more  than  districts 
having  advantage  in  the  way  of  accessibility,  climate,  working  con- 
ditions and  living  accommodations. 

That  exceptional  weather  conditions  during  spring  plantings  and 
fall  harvests  are  responsible  for  minimum  losses  is  generally  conceded. 
Because  of  the  unusual  conditions  the  customary  demand  was  lacking 
for  help  during  the  pinch  of  emergency  necessity  ordinarily  occurring 
in  normal  years  of  showers  during  early  fall  months.  Reduction  in 
demand  was  also  brought  about  by  reduced  yields  in  sugar  beets, 
cotton,  citrus  and  walnuts,  while  shortage  of  shook  and  shipping 
facilities  curtailed  labor  needs  in  certain  fruit  lines. 

From  the  standpoint  of  lower  efficiency,  higher  Avages,  difficulty  in 
securing  men,  and  similar  evidences  of  a  labor  shortage,  1917  offers 
abundant  testimony  of  a  farm  labor  shortage  and  suggests  the  urgency 
of  immediate  steps  to  improve  existing  conditions. 

Labor  has  been  less  reliable  and  less  efficient  than  usual  during  the 
past  year.  As  a  result  farmers  have  had  increasing  difficulty  not  only 
in  obtaining  men  but  in  holding  them.  Due  to  a  general  shortage  in 
many  industries  other  than  farming,  the  best  of  the  usual  ranch  help 
has  been  recruited  for  other  lines,  leaving  the  less  efficient  for  the 
farmer's  use.  The  military  draft  and  volunteer  service  have  drawn 
heavily  upon  the  best  class  of  farm  labor,  and  while  its  effect  has  not 
been  marked  during  the  past  year  certain  machinery  men  drawn  to  the 
army  and  navy  have  been  difficult  if  not  impossible  of  replacement. 
That  the  influence  of  the  draft  may  be  much  more  extensive  next  year 
is  a  reasonable  deduction. 

Estimates  of  1917  efficiency  compared  with  1916,  where  reductions 
are  noted,  range  in  a  drop  from  10  per  cent  to  66%  per  cent,  with  a" 
general  average,  as  nearly  as  can  be  stated,  of  25  per  cent  drop  in 
efficiency.    The  small  farmers  complain  less  of  reduced  efficiency  than 
do  the  large  landowners. 

Ease  in  obtaining  work,  high  wages  in  other  industries,  and  the 
saloon  are  the  main  causes,  in  the  minds  of  those  giving  a  reason, 
for  reduced  efficiency.  The  taking  of  the  best  men  through  the  draft 
and  presence  of  agitators  are  also  mentioned. 

The  evidence  proves  conclusively  that  there  has  been  a  general 
advance  in  farm  wages  for  1917  over  1916,  the  increase  ranging  from 
5  per  cent  to  100  per  cent,  or  a  general  average  advance  of  40  per  cent 
for  both  large  and  small  operators  reporting  increases. 

Along  the  lines  of  providing  better  living  conditions  there  is  a 
slight  improvement  to  be  noted.    Apparently  farmers  do  not  consider 


this  much  of  a  factor  in  obtaining  and  holding  good  men.  Improve- 
ment in  living  conditions  and  hours  of  work  have  been  mostly  confined 
to  the  larger  operators. 

There  has  been  a  slight  tendency  toward  substituting  piecework  for 
the  hour  and  day  basis.  A  few  men  report  a  decrease  in  the  number 
of  hours  constituting  a  day. 

To  protect  the  sugar  beet  growers,  actual  importation  into  the  State 
to  the  extent  of  1700  men  had  to  be  undertaken,  this  past  season,  by 
various  beet  sugar  companies. 

To  meet  its  harvest  need  Imperial  Valley  imported,  by  private 
subscription,  several  hundred  Texas  and  Oklahoma  families. 

Summed  up,  the  1917  season  presents  evidence  of  a  farm  labor 
shortage  to  be  found  in : 

(a)  Actual  importation  by  private  interests. 

(&)  A  wage  scale  40  per  cent  generally  higher  than  that  of  1916  for 
migratory  labor. 

(c)  Inability  to  save  the  straw  of  the  barley,  wheat  and  rice  fields. 

(d)  Loss  of  men  drawn  to  other  industries. 

(e)  A  few  instances  of  actual  losses  in  crops  and  dairies. 
(/)  Reduction  of  wood  cutting  for  fuel. 

(g)   Reduction  of  dairies. 

(h)  Loss  of  men  through  operation  of  the  draft. 

The  large  employer  has  suffered  more  than  the  small  operator. 
Since  crop  production  has  its  greatest  field  for  immediate  expansion 
with  the  large  employer,  lack  of  sufficient  help  becomes  serious. 

Considerable  apprehension  is  expressed  with  reference  to  desired 
extensions  of  the  sugar  beet  acreages,  long  staple  cotton  plantings,  and 
hemp  fields — requested  by  the  federal  government — since  all  of  these 
are  special  crops  of  relatively  high  man  labor  requirements. 


EMERGENCY  NEEDS  VS.  NORMAL  NEEDS 

In  the  above  presentation  no  distinction  as  to  crops  is  made.  It  is 
important  to  point  out,  however,  that  crops  or  animal  losses  may  be 
either  necessary  to  the  conduct  of  the  war  or  else  of  a  truly  non- 
essential nature.  Beef,  wheat,  beans,  sugar,  cotton,  hay  and  forage 
crops,  wool,  dairy  and  poultry  products,  certain  fruits  and  some 
vegetables  are  war  essentials.  Watermelons,  hops,  asparagus,  straw- 
berries, cantaloupes,  and  similar  crops  are  not  classed  as  essentials. 

Viewed  in  its  war  emergency  aspect  the  labor  situation  assumes  a 
much  more  serious  look  where  shortage  of  labor  to  produce  essentials 


occurs  than  when  non-essentials  are  concerned.  Both  groups  must, 
however,  be  recognized  and  both  assisted  with  labor,  for  if  one  or  the 
other  group  is  short  of  help  it  draws  upon  whatever  supply  is  avail- 
able, thus  establishing  a  new  equilibrium  and  spreading  the  shortage 
over  all  production.  For  this  reason  such  an  office  as  ours  cannot 
afford  to  pass  by  any  farm  enterprise  of  magnitude  reporting  a  real 
shortage  of  labor.  Indeed,  for  this  reason  we  are  compelled  to  pay 
attention  to  all  industries — mills,  construction,  manufacturing,  mining, 
and  transportation — which  draw  upon  the  same  supply  of  labor  as 
the  farmer. 


KIND  OF  HELP  NEEDED  BY  FARMERS 

California  agriculture  is  highly  specialized,  each  farmer  usually 
confining  himself  to  some  one  crop  or  product,  as  dairying,  fruit,  sugar 
beets,  poultry,  grain,  or  hay,  and  he,  therefore,  requires  a  type  of  labor 
able  to  do  the  particular  kind  of  work  necessary  to  successful  produc- 
tion in  his  particular  industry. 

A  dairyman  wants  men  all  the  year  who  are  able  and  willing  to  be 
on  hand  twice  a  da}'  at  twelve  hour  intervals,  milk  twenty  to  thirty 
cows,  and,  possibly  clean  out  the  milking  sheds,  and  feed  in  the  barns. 
An  alfalfa  hay  producer  wants  husky  men  from  about  April  15  to 
November  1  who  can  handle  teams  in  mowing  and  raking,  lend  a  hand 
at  cocking,  hauling,  and  stacking,  and  irrigate  between  cuttings.  A 
grain  grower  requires  men  for  a  more  or  less  definite  period  during 
the  fall  and  rainy  season  to  care  for  and  drive  eight  or  ten  head  of 
mules  in  plowing  and  harrowing.  He  then  has  an  interval  with  no 
work  until  the  hay  or  grain  harvest  starts — the  last  of  May  or  the  first 
of  June.  If  harvesting  is  done  by  contract  the  grower's  interest  in 
labor  ceases  with  the  hauling  off  of  the  crop  and  its  safe  delivery  to 
car  or  warehouse.  The  fruit  grower  needs  additional  help  for  any 
work  he  cannot  do  himself.  On  small  acreages  this  means  extra  help 
only  at  harvest — to  gather  the  fruit  and  prepare  it  for  sale  or  for 
drying.  The  man  operating  extensive  acreage  of  fruit  does  little  more 
than  supervise  the  work,  and  in  addition  to  harvest  hands  needs  men 
to  prune,  spray,  cultivate,  and  irrigate.  Even  among  the  fruit  men  a 
difference  exists  in  the  kinds  of  labor  which  can  be  used.  For  picking 
up  prunes  or  walnuts  any  labor  can  be  utilized  and  so  school  children, 
Indians,  and  whole  families  of  unskilled  and  inexperienced  people  are 
found  to  be  satisfactory.  For  picking  pears,  or  apples,  or  peaches,  to 
be  prepared  for  shipment,  only  experienced,  skilled  help  is  profitable. 


Spraying  can  be  done  with  any  good  worker,  but  pruning  demands 
men  who  understand  the  principles  involved.  Irrigating  demands  men 
who  know  how  to  apply  water  properly ;  it  cannot  be  done  to  advantage 
by  inexperienced  hands.  The  poultry  man  wants  help  that  under- 
stands poultry  feeding,  sanitation,  breeding,  and  preparation  of 
poultry  products  for  marketing.  This  work  consists  of  much  detail 
and  requires  a  man  who  not  only  can  do  the  work  but  is  quiet  and 
gentle  with  the  fowls.  The  sugar  beet  grower  requires  men  able  to  do 
the  hard,  monotonous,  back-breaking  work  of  thinning  the  growing 
plants,  and  pulling  and  topping  the  mature  crop  to  prepare  it  for 
shipment. 

All  this  shows  what  a  great  variety  of  men  is  needed  upon  our 
ranches.  California  agriculture  as  it  stands  today  represents  the 
cosmopolitan  effort  of  representatives  of  many  nations,  so  many  in 
fact  that  to  list  them  would  include  almost  all  that  have  experienced 
much  emigration — China,  France,  Germany,  India,  Italy,  Japan, 
Mexico,  Portugal,  Russia,  Sweden,  and  on  around  the  globe. 

Classes  of  Labor. — Three  general  classes  of  labor  may  be  recognized 
upon  California  ranches,  each  occupying  a  special  sphere. 

First — Experienced  unskilled  men  needed  for  the  hard,  tedious, 
back-breaking  work  which  Americans  cannot  generally  be  obtained 
to  do  under  prevailing  wages  and  other  conditions;  e.g.,  asparagus 
cutting,  onion  work,  sugar  beet  thinning  and  topping,  hoeing  beans, 
digging  potatoes,  and  cotton  and  cantaloupe  picking.  Japanese, 
Mexicans,  Filipinos,  Porto  Rieans,  Chinese,  and  Hindus  are  mostly 
used  with  varying  degrees  of  success  for  these  operations. 

Second — Experienced  skilled  men  able  to  do  ranch  work  without 
special  direction,  such  as  milking,  handling  teams,  running  machinery 
(i.e.,  mowers,  binders,  harvesters,  tractors,  engines),  range  riding, 
heavy  work  like  bucking  sacks  and  stacking  hay,  and  special  work 
as  pruning  and  spraying  trees,  building  fences,  and  picking  certain 
fruits  requiring  judgment. 

Third — Unskilled  inexperienced  people  suited  to  some  of  the  more 
simple  operations  such  as  picking  up  prunes  and  walnuts,  hoeing 
weeds,  cultivating  growing  crops,  and  picking  certain  fruits  requiring 
little  or  no  judgment. 

Transient  Labor  Needed. — In  the  foregoing  paragraphs  reference 
is  made  to  certain  peculiar  seasonal  labor  needs  of  California  agricul- 
ture. Some  of  these  typical  labor  seasons  are  shown  more  clearly  in 
the  following  table: 


Industry  Locality  Greatest  period  of  needs 

Grain  planting Central   California   Dec-Jan. 

Grain  harvest  Central   California   June  15  to  Aug.  15 

Cutting  asparagus Stockton  delta  May  15  to  July  1 

Cantaloupe  harvest  Imperial  Valley  May  and  June 

Sugar  beet  thinning Southern  California  Feb.  and  March 

Sugar  beet  harvest Southern  California  Aug.  and  Sept. 

Sugar  beet  thinning Northern  California  March  and  April 

Sugar  beet  harvest Northern  California  September 

Cotton  chopping  Imperial  Valley  May 

Cotton  picking  Imperial  Valley  Nov.  and  Dec. 

Egyptian  corn  harvest Sari  Joaquin  and  Sacramento  Valleys. ...September 

Alfalfa  hay  harvest San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento  Valleys.... April  to  Sept.  inc. 

Pruning  fruit  trees  (deciduous) Jan.  and  Feb. 

Harvesting  fruit  crops  (deciduous) Aug.  and  Sept. 

To  meet  "peak  loads,"  economic  conditions  have  developed  a  well 
recognized  floating  population,  mobile  enough  to  move  from  section  to 
section  as  crop  demands  require.  "Whether  the  presence  of  these 
people  is  good  or  bad,  socially,  is  not  for  this  report  to  discuss;  the 
emergency  pressure  for  food,  feed,  and  fiber  means  that  existing  con- 
ditions must  be  met  as  they  are. 

The  following  table  shows  something  of  the  variable  need.  This 
need  cannot  be  accurately  predicted  in  advance,  because  no  one  can 
foretell  the  influence  of  drought,  rain,  or  hot  or  cold  weather,  advanc- 
ing or  retarding  the  period  available  for  harvest. 


Industry 

Hops  (Sonoma  County) 

Asparagus   

Sugar  beet  thinning  

Sugar  beet  harvest 

Picking  up  prunes   (3  pickings) 

Picking  pears  

Picking  raisins  

Cutting  Egyptian  corn  

Picking  cotton  

Digging  potatoes  


Acreage 
100 

Number 

men 
required 

200-300 

Length  of  season 

in  normal  year, 

for  given  field 

3-4  weeks 

100 

20-30 

6-8 

weeks 

100 

20-30 

2-3 

weeks 

100 

10-20 

3-4 

weeks 

1 00 

7-10 

4-6 

weeks 

100 

30-100 

2-3 

weeks 

100 

8-20 

3-4 

weeks 

100 

7-12 

2-4 

weeks 

100 

10-15 

2-3 

months 

100 

6-35 

3-8 

weeks 

The  Present  Greatest  Need. — Of  the  various  classes  of  help  required 
to  produce  California's  crops  the  greatest  need  is  for  a  body  of 
experienced  laborers  able  to  do  hard,  manual,  unskilled  work  under 
prevailing  working  conditions.  This  is  the  kind  of  labor  now  in 
demand  by  railroads  and  other  industrial  enterprises.  To  supply  this 
serious  lack  means  that  California  under  conditions  of  today,  needs  a 
class  of  labor  which  can  take  care  of  itself  with  the  housing  facilities 
that  farmers  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  provide,  labor  that  will  be 


8 

available  when  wanted  and  able  to  withdraw  to  other  industries  or  to 
take  care  of  itself  when  not  needed  in  ranch  work.  The  investigations 
point  against  enticing  white  labor  from  other  states  for  this  work. 

Another  factor  in  the  farm  labor  situation  is  the  difference  in 
attractiveness  of  different  sections.  The  delta  lands  of  the  San  Joaquin 
and  Sacramento  rivers  are  very  dusty  when  dry,  and  white  men  will 
only  do  manual  labor  there  as  a  last  resort.  Even  if  living  accom- 
modations were  ideal,  which  in  many  cases  they  are  not,  the  working 
conditions  are  such  that  white  men  will  work  there  only  as  teamsters, 
tractor  drivers,  or  machinery  men.  The  July  and  August  heat  of  the 
Imperial  Valley  is  so  great  that  a  white  man  cannot  do  a  full  day's 
work  there.  It  should  be  added,  however,  that  from  November  to 
March,  inclusive,  the  reverse  generally  holds  true,  and  floating  labor 
tends  to  gravitate  toward  the  valley  for  these  months.  In  the  wheat 
fields,  at  the  head  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  during  harvest,  and  in 
the  alfalfa  fields,  and  at  scraper  work  throughout  the  San  Joaquin  and 
Sacramento  valleys,  transient  labor  finds  this  work  very  trying  during 
July  and  August  and  will  not  consider  it  unless  badly  pressed  for 
money.  This  limits  the  amount  of  labor  available  for  these  districts; 
and  when  a  shortage  occurs  in  any  part  of  the  agricultural  field,  the 
drain  of  such  labor  as  can  be  used  from  these  sections  begins  as  soon 
as  the  wage  scale  is  adjusted  elsewhere  to  offset  higher  wages  paid  in 
the  less  attractive  communities. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  even  within  a  given  group  all  men 
are  not  equally  capable.  A  great  variation  exists  among  Mexicans  and 
Hindus,  some  variation  among  Japanese,  and  the  greatest  among  the 
floating  white  labor.  In  fact,  among  the  latter  are  many  who  may 
correctly  be  classed  as  "  unemployables " — mentally  defective  and 
wrecked  physically.  Many  of  these  men  are  literally  incapable  of 
doing  a  reasonable  day's  work  on  any  farm.  It  is  these  that  largely 
make  up  the  crowds  hanging  around  poolrooms,  saloons,  and  employ- 
ment agencies,  at  least  during  times  when  help  is  scarce,  as  has  been 
the  case  during  the  last  season.  This  condition  often  leads  to  the 
belief  that  there  is  plenty  of  help.  Experience  in  such  instances  has 
frequently  proved,  however,  that  only  a  small  percentage  of  the  men 
care  to  consider  a  farm  job,  many  of  them  hanging  around  for  some- 
thing calling  for  two  or  three  hours  and  paying  50  cents  or  $1.00, 
and  that  only  a  fraction  of  those  who  will  consider  farm  work  can  be 
used  to  any  advantage. 

It  is  the  growing  conviction  of  the  authors  that  the  American 
farms  are  conducted  best  when  labor-saving  machinery  is  applied  to 


a  variety  of  work.  Hand  labor  does  not  appeal  to  a  nation  of  strongly  \ 
marked  mechanical  genius,  and  the  monotony  of  often  repeated  routine 
operations  does  not  commend  itself  to  Americans.  California  has  much 
of  this  kind  of  work,  which  is  difficult  of  accomplishment  without 
constant  replenishment  of  the  labor  supply  from  sources  which  produce 
men  able  to  do  it.  Obviously,  therefore,  one  of  the  future  methods  of 
meeting  the  labor  needs  is  a  greater  use  of  animal  or  gasoline  power.  , 

Work  such  as  picking  up  prunes  or  walnuts,  hoeing  weeds,  or  pick- 
ing berries  and  hops,  is  so  simple  that  it  can  be  done  by  school 
children  or  inexperienced  city  dwellers.  The  total  work  of  this  char- 
acter is  relatively  small,  hence  no  insurmountable  difficulty  is  experi- 
enced in  getting  enough  help  to  do  it  if  the  business  is  so  organized 
that  a  reasonable  daily  wage  is  possible  and  suitable  living  conditions 
are  provided. 

FARM  LABOR  FOR  1918 

To  obtain  farm  labor  for  the  coming  1918  season  every  effort  should 
first  be  made  to  utilize  to  the  best  advantage  all  available  home  sup- 
plies. This  may  mean  more  attention  on  the  part  of  farmers  to  the 
essentials  of  wages,  housing,  food,  hours,  and  supervision.  Or  it  may 
require  the  closing  of  the  saloon,  anti-vagrancy  laws,  or  some  similar 
course  of  action. 

The  completion  of  cantonment,  the  curtailment  of  highway  con- 
struction, the  possibility  of  a  dry  year,  replacement  of  crops  of  high 
labor  requirements  for  those  of  low  demands,  and  shutting  down  of 
development  work,  will  each  have  its  influence  on  the  labor  supply. 
Even  at  that,  it  is  evident  that  the  farmer  must  have  additional  help 
of  a  kind  able  and  willing  to  do  the  work  required. 

Much  can  be  done  to  relieve  the  shortage  if  immediate  action  is 
taken  to  render  the  present  supply  more  available  or  efficient.  If, 
however,  through  failure  to  take  such  action  or  if,  no  matter  how 
carefully  manipulated,  the  supply  bids  fair  to  be  insufficient,  then 
additions  must  be  made  through  importation  from  outside  sources 
sufficient  to  insure  the  need  of  all  farmers. 

Farmers'  Recommendations. — From  a  score  or  more  of  different 
recommendations  made  by  farmers  to  relieve,  or  at  least  assist,  the 
labor  situation  during  the  1918  season,  the  following  half  dozen  are 
preeminently  foremost  and  are  given  in  order  of  greatest  insistence : 

Import  labor,  most  suggestions  being  in  favor  (1st)  of  Chinese 
or  Orientals,  (2nd)  Mexicans. 


10 

Close  saloons — a  close  second  to  importation  of  labor. 
Practice  more  liberal  exemptions  of  farm  labor  from  military 

draft. 
Develop  potential  supplies  of  home  labor,  i.e..  children,  women, 

city  dwellers. 
Bring  about  better  distribution  and  utilization  of  present  labor 

supplies. 
Promote  anti-vagrancy  laws. 
Conscript  labor. 

The  Farmer's  Responsibility. — During  the  past  season  there  has 
been  much  discussion  of  the  five  fundamental  requirements  of  farm 
laborers,  i.e.,  wages,  housing,  food,  hours,  and  supervision.  State- 
ments have  been  repeatedly  made  that  if  farmers  would  pay  living 
wages  or  provide  decent  living  or  proper  board  they  would  have  no 
trouble  in  getting  men.  There  are  grounds  for  complaint  concerning 
treatment  of  men,  but  a  sweeping  statement  is  a  misstatement  of  fact. 
That  there  is  room  for  a  clearer  sense  of  individual  responsibility  on 
the  part  of  the  farmer  towards  labor,  is  apparently  offset  by  the  need 
for  a  feeling  of  responsibility  towards  his  work  on  the  part  of  the 
laborer. 

Wages. — Farmers  have  been  obliged  to  advance  their  wage  scales 
in  most  instances  to  meet  those  in  force  in  other  industries  which  draw 
upon  the  same  reservoir  of  labor.  Our  investigations  tend  fully  to 
defend  the  farmer  against  any  unqualified  criticism  that  he  does  not 
pay  wages  commensurate  with  the  demands  of  the  labor  market. 
Actual  comparison  of  wages  for  definite  months  of  1917  over  compar- 
able periods  of  1916  indicate  a  wage  advance  of  close  to  40  per  cent. 

Since  farm  work  and  farm  living  appears  to  be  unable  to  compete 
with  other  industries  using  types  of  labor  in  common,  it  is  suggested 
that  the  farmer  may  find  himself  obliged  to  reorganize  his  business  so 
that  even  higher  wages  can  be  offered  to  draw  men  to  ranch  work. 

Hours.— Our  investigations  point  to  the  fact  that  the  average 
ranch  day — ten  hours — is  neither  too  short  nor  too  long  for  the  variety 
and  kind  of  field  work  to  be  done  on  the  ranch.  No  evidence  of 
research  has  been  unearthed  to  show  what  is  the  ideal  length  of  day 
for  the  greatest  efficiency,  but  with  the  kind  of  labor  available  accus- 
tomed to  a  given  pace  it  is  concluded  that  no  suggestion  need  be 
offered  looking  to  a  change  in  the  average  present  ranch  day.  While 
general  practice  indicates  the  ten  hour  day  as  a  limit,  it  cannot  be 
so  absolutely  since  the  very  nature  of -the  work,  together  with  seasonal 


11 

changes  which  necessitate  a  great  rush  during  certain  periods  (e.g., 
premature  maturing  of  fruit  due  to  continued  spells  of  hot  weather), 
will  not  permit  rigid  regulations. 

If  there  are  plenty  of  men  in  the  fruit  business  it  is  possible  for 
them  to  put  in  a  ten  hour  day,  and  if  they  are  few  in  number  long 
hours  must  be  the  rule  to  insure  getting  in  as  large  a  proportion  of 
the  crop  as  possible. 

Housing. — Investigations  by  two  inspectors  kept  constantly  at  work 
for  the  Commission  of  Immigration  and  Housing,  and  independent 
inquiry  on  our  part  show  that  in  many  cases  the  housing  of  farm  hands 
is  inadequate.  This  inadequacy  is  well  known  to  all  those  acquainted 
with  western  ranch  life  and  is  vigorously  commented  upon  at  Farm 
Bureau  and  other  meetings  of  California  farmers. 

It  should  be  recognized,  however,  that  it  is  not  always  possible  for 
the  small  employer  to  keep  pace  with  the  large  employer  in  providing 
proper  quarters.  Fluctuating  need  of  men,  combined  with  the  short 
period  when  bunk  and  cook  houses  are  in  use  on  many  farms,  explain 
why  satisfactory  living  conditions,  readily  provided  where  labor  is 
employed  a  large  part  of  the  year,  are  not  feasible  when  a  large  army 
of  help  is  needed  for  but  a  few  clays.  Yet  an  improvement  under  these 
circumstances  has  been  proved  possible  through  the  cooperative  main- 
tenance of  a  central  camp  by  several  neighboring  farmers. 

Difficulty  in  holding  men  not  used  to  the  ordinary  living  conditions 
on  the  average  California  ranch  will  be  partly  overcome  by  a  recog- 
nition of  the  practical  and  pressing  necessity  of  providing  proper 
living  conditions.  Quarters  provided  for  peon,  coolie,  or  Oriental  labor 
are  generally  not  suitable  for  men  demanding  American  standards  of 
living.  This  fact  is  especially  worthy  of  attention  in  the  present 
scarcity  of  labor,  should  it  become  necessary  and  advisable  to  utilize 
men  from  cities  or  towns  who,  used  to  sanitary  conveniences,  some 
privacy,  and  reasonable  facilities  for  recreation  during  hours  off  duty, 
will  not  submit  to  hording  in  common  quarters. 

The  present  housing  and  sanitary  conditions  are  the  result  in  many 
instances  of  the  kind  of  labor  to  be  housed.  Migratory  labor  has  in 
the  past  been  careless  and  even  downright  unappreciative  of  attempts 
to  provide  more  livable  surroundings.  Yet,  if  a  better  class  of  labor 
is  to  be  attracted  to  many  districts,  more  attention  to  good  housing 
is  imperative.  A  farmer  must  exert  himself  to  differentiate  between 
classes  of  labor  and  provide  conditions  which  will  attract  and  hold  the 
class  wanted- 


12 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  though,  that  improvement  of  quarters 
does  not  to  any  extent  augment  the  available  supply  of  labor.  It 
merely  aids  the  individual  making  the  improvement  in  obtaining  and 
holding  help  in  competition  with  other  employers  similarly  situated. 
Neither  will  it  entirely  eliminate  the  trouble  of  holding  men  under 
difficult  conditions  of  dust,  heat,  isolation,  or  unattractive  work. 

Better  housing  does  not,  as  a  rule,  necessitate  extensive  or  expensive 
alterations.  Satisfactory  structures  can  be  erected  for  a  very  reason- 
able sum,  and  this  expenditure  is  usually  wTell  worth  while,  especially 
with  help  ready  to  respond  to  good  accommodations. 

Board. — Probably  second  only  to  the  wage  question  is  the  laborer's 
interest  in  the  variety,  quality,  and  quantity  of  food.  A  higher  than 
normal  wage  scale  with  poor  food  is  less  insurance  against  labor 
shortage  than  a  normal  wage  scale  with  good  board.  The  construction 
and  lumber  camps  are  apparently,  in  general,  providing  better  board 
than  are  many  farmers.  The  cost  of  boarding  men  in  1917  in- 
creased from  33y%  to  100  per  cent  over  costs  of  1916.  This  constitutes 
an  actual  increase  in  the  wage  scale. 

Supervision. — More  attention  to  the  selection  of  foremen  properly 
qualified  to  handle  men  is  worth  considering  on  some  ranches.  Where 
the  farmer  does  his  own  superintending  of  the  men,  in  some  cases, 
a  study  of  the  proper  means  to  employ  will  lessen  the  difficulty  of 
keeping  men.  This  is  a  hard  matter  to  define,  but  the  investigations 
have  shown  enough  examples  of  lack  of  ability  or  tact  to  warrant  at 
least  a  hint  along  this  line. 

Selecting  Crops  of  Low  Labor  Requirements. — An  important  pos- 
sibility in  connection  with  the  better  utilization  of  available  help  is  the 
selection  of  annual  crops  of  relatively  low  labor  requirements,  such  as 
wheat,  barley,  non-saeharine  sorghums  in  place  of  such  crops  as 
cantaloupes,  tomatoes,  peas,  and  sweet  potatoes,  wherever  soil,  climate, 
water,  market,  finance,  and  farming  ability  will  permit. 

The  Liquor  Question. — There  is  a  marked  and  growing  resentment 
on  the  part  of  farmers  against  the  saloon.  To  them  the  saloon  means 
periodical  debauches,  restlessness,  reduced  efficiency,  curtailment  of 
the  working  period,  and  incitement  to  crime.  That  the  state-wide 
elimination  of  the  saloon  in  its  present  way  of  doing  business  would 
increase  the  efficiency  and  availability  of  farm  hands  in  general  is,  in 
the  farmer's  opinion  quite  incontestable. 

The  recent  decision  of  Los  Angeles  to  dispense  with  her  saloons  on 
March  31,  1918,  and  of  Fresno  and  San  Jose  to  become  dry  offer  some 
opportunity  to  prove  whether  the  labor  supply  of  their  vicinities  will 
become  more  available  or  more  efficient.     Other  communities  will  soon 


13 

be  watching  these  important  centers  with  keen  interest  from  this  point 
of  view.  As  a  general  thing  only  a  state-wide  movement  appeals  to 
farmers,  as  many  believe  that  dry  districts  are  at  a  disadvantage. 

It  may  be  added  in  this  connection,  that  use  of  light  wines  or  beers 
does  not  fall  under  condemnation  by  the  majority  of  farmers,  the 
strong  drinks — whisky,  rum,  gin,  brandy — being  the  real  offenders. 
It  has  been  contended,  however,  that  the  saloon  as  a  place  of  con- 
viviality would  have  the  same  bad  effect  upon  its  habitues  even  if 
restricted  to  the  lighter  drinks. 

An  inquiry  into  whether  or  not  anything  could  be  added  to  the 
diet  of  the  men  to  offset  the  stimulation  of  liquor  resulted  in  conflict- 
ing opinions.  Certain  authorities  believe  that  the  plentiful  use  of 
sugars,  lemon  juice,  peppermint,  possibly  fats,  and  similar  foods  would 
offset  the  desire  for  alcohol.  Others  contend  that  nothing  will  take 
the  place  of  alcohol,  that  it  is  not  taken  for  food  or  to  supply  any  real 
or  fancied  need,  but  is  drunk  solely  for  the  "kick"  it  contains.  Men 
holding  the  latter  view  see  no  remedy  in  a  changed  dietary. 

Something  can  be  done  by  the  farmers  themselves  in  seeing  to  it 
(1st)  that  the  men  are  properly  nourished  with  wholesome  food, 
properly  prepared  and  in  reasonable  variety,  and  (2nd)  that  some 
attention  is  paid  to  the  comfort  of  the  men  when  off  duty.  We  have 
received  altogether  too  many  complaints  from  workers  that  no  reading 
matter  was  obtainable,  that  if  available  no  decent  light  was  provided, 
that  quarters  did  not  permit  even  reasonable  privacy.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  go  into  details.  Each  man  knows  just  how  far  the  quarters 
and  facilities  he  provides  will  go  to  offset  the  desire  for  the  relaxation 
and  sociability  now  provided  by  poolrooms,  saloons,  and  cheap  board- 
ing houses. 

Conscription  of  Labor. — No  farmer  can  afford  to  trust  valuable 
stock  or  the  future  of  his  crops  to  labor  whose  interest  is  subject  to  no 
greater  influence  than  conscription.  The  results  with  conscripted 
labor  may  be  well  compared  with  the  unsuccessful  results  obtained 
with  labor  sentenced  to  farm  work,  examples  of  which  occurred  in 
California  during  the  past  season. 

Conscripted  labor  will  presumably  not  be  trained  or  experienced, 
and  the  amount  of  work  that  unskilled  labor  can  do  is  fairly  well 
taken  care  of  now. 

Farmers  point  out  that  while  soldiers  may  be  satisfactorily  con- 
scripted, farmers  must  be  raised.  Farmers  are  considered  a  result  of 
long  development,  soldiers  of  rapid  training. 

Conscription  of  labor  is  not  to  be  confused  with  anti-loafing  laws. 


14 

Anti-Loafiiig  or  Vagrancy  Laws. — It  is  not  probable  that  any  great 
difficulty  would  be  encountered  in  obtaining  legislation  along  the 
lines  of  that  accomplished  by  Maryland,  West  Virginia,  and  Wisconsin. 

Before  advocating  actual  passing  of  anti-loafing  laws  it  would  be 
well  to  see  what  happens  to  Maryland  and  Wisconsin  during  the  slack 
winter  season.  The  eastern  types  of  agriculture  are  radically  differ- 
ent from  those  of  California.  This  may  mean  that  with  the  periods 
of  demand  and  the  kind  of  help  secured,  the  operation  of  these  laws 
under  eastern  conditions  may  not  be  entirely  directly  applicable  to 
California. 

There  seems  to  be  serious  question  as  to  the  constitutionality  of 
anti-loafing  laws.  The  moral  effect  of  such  legislation  amounts  to  a 
good  deal,  however. 

Vagrancy  laws  are  generally  now  on  local  statute  books,  but  vary 
in  scope  and  execution.  In  the  opinion  of  many,  proper  standardiza- 
tion and  uniform  enforcement  of  these  existing  statutes  will  go  far  to 
meet  any  need  of  anti-vagrancy  legislation. 

Recruiting  Labor  from  Closing  Work. — To  insure  better  utilization 
of  available  labor  and  to  assist  in  eliminating  lost  motion  between 
employer  and  employee,  communities  should  stand  ready  to  send  a  man 
into  sections  about  to  discharge  large  amounts  of  labor,  actually  to 
recruit  hands  for  the  next  need.  For  instance,  Imperial  Valley  stood 
ready  and  willing  to  take  over  the  hundreds  of  grape  pickers  released 
at  the  end  of  the  Fresno  raisin  harvest  this  year,  but  due  to  lack  of 
organization  failed  to  obtain  them  before  they  had  scattered.  It  seems 
worth  while  to  see  what  can  be  done,  using  every  available  facility,  to 
hold  such  labor  together,  provide  as  cheap  transportation  as  possible, 
and  deflect  it  to  other  communities  whenever  work  in  one  section  is 
completed. 

Mobilizing  Boys  and  Women. — Mobilization  of  boys  from  16  to  21 
into  a  Working  Reserve  will  probably  be  tried  out  next  year.  Given  a 
few  weeks'  training,  handled  in  groups  under  proper  leadership,  and 
used  for  the  kind  of  work  they  can  do,  these  units  offer  possibilities. 
The  plan  is  at  least  well  worth  a  fair  and  thorough  trial. 

Following  the  same  general  plan  as  the  Boys'  Working  Reserve, 
arrangements  are  being  perfected  to  mobilize  women  for  such  work  as 
they  can  do.  The  preliminary  organization  work  is  being  handled  by 
Mrs.  Sidney  Joseph  of  Berkeley  for  the  Industrial  Welfare  Commis- 
sion of  California. 

That  considerable  labor  can  be  obtained  through  the  efforts  of 
school  authorities,   Y.   M.   C.   A.'s,   Boy   Scout   Masters,   and   certain 


15 

religious,  charitable  and  social  organizations,  has  been  proved  by  the 
results  of  the  past  year.  Taken  all  together,  this  labor  is  not  to  be 
ignored,  with  the  caution,  of  course,  that  the  work  it  can  do  represents 
but  a  minor  part  of  the  total  work  needed  in  California  crop  pro- 
duction. 

To  those  incliir  d  to  under-rate  this  labor,  we  refer  to  the  numerous 
camps  put  out  by  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Boy  Scouts,  and  high  schools — 
many  of  whom  did  most  excellent  work — and  to  the  fact  that  within 
two  weeks  of  the  closing  of  school  a  supply  of  over  2000  boys  reported 
to  us  as  ava^able,  was  entirely  absorbed  just  before  school  closed. 

Closinc  of  Schools. — If  farmers  will  indicate  the  period  of  greatest 
labor  need  in  their  particular  communities  something  can  be  done  to 
close  scliools  to  provide  emergency  labor.  During  the  past  season, 
cooperation  between  school  authorities  and  farmers  for  delaying  the 
opering  of  schools  has  been  quickly,  easily  and  satisfactorily  accom- 
plirhed,  indicating  the  possibility  of  more  extensive  use  of  this  source 
of  labor  if  farmers  will  press  their  claims. 

Use  of  State  Institutions. — To  help  relieve  the  shortage  of  milkers 
it  is  recommended  that  state  institutions,  particularly  the  prisons 
where  dairy  herds  are  maintained,  bend  every  effort  to  break  in  men 
to  be  capable  milkers.  This  could  apply  particularly  to  men  subject  to 
parole,  taking  into  account  the  character  of  the  offense  for  which  they 
Avere  committed  as  possimV  making  them  undesirable  for  farmers'  use. 

This  work  might  also  be  extended  to  include  help  for  poultry 
yards,  hogs,  truck  garden  plants,  and  other  farm  activities  represented 
at  the  institutions. 

Training  by  Commercial  Firms  and  Agricultural  Schools. — Due  to 
shortage  of  milkers,  more  can  be  done  by  those  having  facilities  for 
training  men  in  the  proper  handling  of  milking  machines,  such  as 
agricultural  schools  and  commercial  firms,  to  turn  out  as  many  well 
equipped  men  for  handling  these  outfits  as  men  are  available  for 
training. 

Better  Distribution  of  Labor. — The  past  season  has  clearly  demon- 
strated the  need  of  better  mobilization  of  unemployed  labor  and 
speedier  distribution  to  points  of  need.  Success  has  been  obtained  in 
several  states  with  state  conducted  employment  offices  to  register  men 
and  jobs  and  to  clear  between  different  sections.  Attempts  by  this 
office  during  the  past  season  to  bring  about  better  utilization  of  avail- 
able help  through  the  efforts  of  nineteen  Farm  Advisors  and  several 
additional  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  appointed  by  the  County  Coun- 
cils of  Defense  to  bring  employer  and  employee  together  within  each 


16 

respective  county  proved  the  feasibility  of  this  plan,  but  also  indicated 
the  need  of  a  larger  and  freer  organization,  because,  already  over- 
worked, superimposing  of  duties  in  connection  with  labor  matters 
meant  more  than  the  Farm  Advisors  could  successfully  accomplish. 
The  logical  method  consists  in  extending  or  reorganizing  the  scope 
of  the  present  Public  Employment  Bureaus  of  California  so  that  they 
may  undertake  comprehensive  plans  to  deal  properly  with  this  aspect 
of  the  case.  Experience  elsewhere  indicates  that  California  already 
possesses  the  basis  of  organization  which  if  sufficiently  expanded, 
equipped,  and  organized,  will  be  able  to  do  effective  work.  Temporary 
offices  in  localities  of  special  periodical  needs  can  form  a  part  of  the 
plan  and  be  considered  in  any  proposed  reorganization. 


SOME  EXPERIENCES  OF  THE   PAST   YEATC 

In  a  review  of  the  work  of  this  office  there  are  several  matters  which 
may  be  of  interest,  not  only  as  a  record  of  past  events  but  as  bearing 
upon  utilization  of  present  help  during  future  seasons;  such,  for  in- 
stance, as  the  use  of  high  school  boys,  advertising  for  help,  degree  of 
benefit  derived  from  supplying  of  better  housing,  and  the  effect  of 
the  military  draft. 

Advertising  for  Help. — There  are  several  instances  from  the  ex- 
perience of  the  past  season  which  indicate  the  possibility  of  getting 
considerable  help  from  local  sources  when  farmers  combine  for  con- 
centrated action  to  meet  their  labor  needs.  Fresno's  ability  to  draw 
to  her  section  enough  labor  to  handle  her  fruit  crops,  the  test  made 
of  Los  Angeles  by  the  California  Fruit  Growers'  Association,  Santa 
Rosa's  efforts  to  obtain  hop  pickers,  Blythe's  campaign  for  cotton 
pickers,  Sebastopol  's  advertising  for  berry  pickers,  Ukiah's  call  for 
people  for  their  bean  cannery,  and  the  results  of  efforts  of  an  Oakland 
women's  club  organization  to  secure  cannery  help,  provide  good 
evidences  of  what  can  be  done. 

However,  if  people  are  to  be  continually  drawn  in  this  way,  they 
must  be  assured  either  of  a  "profitable  vacation"  or  else  an  adequate 
working  wage,  together  with  proper  living  conditions.  Drawing 
people  to  a  locality  before  work  is  available  or  failure  to  provide  a 
decent  environment  will  react  against  a  community  as  much  as 
attempts  to  get  people  into  work  not  capable  of  paying  a  living  wage. 

Exemption  from  the  Military  Draft. — The  replacement  of  drafted 
men,  if  replacement  is  at  all  possible,  must  be  a  matter  of  time,  and 
certainly  presents  a  condition  which  cannot  be  remedied  for  the  1918 


.    17 

crops.  Replacement  is  difficult  because  men  for  ranch  work  require 
not  only  a  good  physique  but  a  proper  mental  attitude  toward  the 
work — items  requiring  time  and  experience  to  develop,  especially  if 
city-bred  material  is  used. 

The  effect  of  the  military  draft  was  not  seriously  felt  in  1917,  on 
account  of  its  late  occurrence,  although  a  few  instances  are  reported 
of  damage  sustained  because  of  its  operation.  Considerable  appre- 
hension is  expressed  as  to  its  effect  on  the  coming  season. 

The  biggest  sufferers  are  the  large  employers,  especially  those  using 
skilled  labor — farm  mechanics,  tractormen,  implement  tenders,  harvest 
crews,  and  hay  baling  crews — and  the  family  operated  farm  whose 
main  reliance  is  placed  upon  members  of  draft  age. 

The  feeling  is  strongly  presented  that  the  best  men  are  the  ones 
taken,  leaving  only  the  less  fit  and  the  less  competent.     - 


IMPORTATION  OF  LABOR 

Japanese  and  Hindus. — Such  evidences  as  we  have  been  able  to 
gather  lead  to  the  belief  that  existing  prosperous  conditions  in  Japan 
and  the  present  policy  of  the  Indian  government  put  these  countries 
beyond  reach  as  sources  of  farm  labor. 

Mexico,  Hawaiian  Islands,  Philippine  Islands  and  Porto  Rico. — 
Investigations  into  Mexican,  Hawaiian,  Porto  Rican  and  Philippine 
Island  labor  conditions  indicate  that  both  the  Hawaiian  and  Philippine 
Islands  are  closed  to  us  as  having  any  extensive  possibilities.  For  all 
practical  purposes  they  may  be  ignored. 

This  leaves  Mexico  and  Porto  Rico  of  this  group  as  the  only  alter- 
natives, with  special  emphasis  on  Mexico  as  the  logical  source  for 
California. 

The  present  ruling  covering  importation  of  Mexicans  from  the 
United  States  Department  of  Labor,  Office  of  the  Secretary,  order  of 
May  23rd,  1917,  permits  importation  of  Mexicans  with  suspension  of 
clauses  covering  head  tax,  literacy  tests  and  contract  of  labor.  Mex- 
icans must  furnish  two  unmounted  photographs,  and  fill  out  identi- 
fication card,  original  to  be  retained  by  laborer,  and  duplicate  to  be 
filed  in  the  United  States  Immigration  files. 

Mexicans  brought  in  under  present  suspension  of  rules  must  remain 
in  agricultural  work,  or  be  arrested  and  deported. 

Chances  of  Getting  Mexicans. — Correspondence  is  now  being  con- 
ducted with  the  Mexican  Government  through  their  San  Francisco 
Consul  to  obtain  information  of  available  Mexican  labor  supplies  and 


18 

ways  and  means  of  obtaining  them.  While  the  outcome  cannot  be 
predicted  with  absolute  certainty,  it  now  appears  that  a  large  number 
of  Mexicans  can  be  obtained  and  under  reasonable  arrangements  so 
far  as  the  Mexican  authorities  are  concerned. 

Chances  of  Getting  Porto  Bicans. — California's  experience  with 
Porto  Ricans  indicates  that  they  can  be  fairly  profitably  employed  in 
many  kinds  of  manual  labor.  They  are  not  valuable  with  horses  or 
around  stock,  but  for  hand  work  the  few  we  have. in  the  state  have 
mostly  proved  themselves  reasonably  capable  help. 

While  there  is  some  danger  of  their  becoming  public  charges,  if 
work  enough  can  be  assured  of  a  nature  such  as  they  can  do,  Porto 
Ricans  are  worth  some  consideration.  Just  how  far  California  will 
care  to  go  in  tapping  this  source  remains  to  be  seen.  The  U.  S.  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  is  authority  for  the  statement  that  a  large  supply 
of  labor  can  be  obtained  from  there  and  that  the  War  Department  can 
be  counted  upon  to  furnish  transportation  to  New  Orleans.  As  these 
people  are  not  subject  to  immigration  laws  and  may  move  freely  from 
their  country  to  any  point  in  the  United  States,  some  of  the  obstacles 
attached  to  other  labor  are  removed.  On  the  other  hand,  care  in  select- 
ing workers  must  be  exercised,  as  there  is  a  blending  of  negro,  Spanish 
and  Indian  blood  among  these  people,  certain  strains  of  which  make 
for  a  better  class  of  workers  than  do  other  strains.  Moreover,  consider- 
able time,  three  or  four  months,  must  elapse  before  they  can  be  landed. 

Porto  Rico  is  not  a  hopeful  source  of  supply,  but  it  is  worthy  of 
trial. 

Chinese. — To  bring  about  importation  of  Chinese  involves  the  pro- 
curing of  transportation,  assurances  that  the  imported  men  will  be 
returned  at  the  expiration  of  a  prescribed  time  limit,  overcoming  of 
difficulties  as  to  the  unconstitutionality  of  bringing  in  labor  under 
peonage  conditions,  revising  certain  treaties,  and  winning  the  support 
of  present  opponents,  as  for  instance,  officials  of  organized  labor  and  of 
the  public  welfare. 

Among  farmers  who  are  acquainted  with  the  capacity  of  Chinese 
to  do  the  kind  of  farm  work  most  in  need  of  relief,  there  is  a  remark- 
able unanimity  of  opinion  as  to  the  desirableness  of  this  class  of  labor. 
If  the  conditions  outlined  above  could  be  satisfactorily  met  so  that 
Chinese  are  obtainable,  there  is  little  doubt  that  they  would  prove  a 
valuable  factor  in  crop  production. 

Chances  of  Getting  Chinese. — That  almost  any  number  of  Chinese 
can  be  obtained,  if  the  way  is  made  clear  for  their  admission,  is  appar- 
ently the  consensus  of  opinion  from  well-informed  sources.  Details 
are  given  in  Part  II  and  there  is  no  need  for  repetition  here. 


19 

Other  Sources  of  Supply. — Other  sources  of  labor  have  been  inves- 
tigated and  one  or  two  are  still  under  discussion,  but  for  immediate 
practical  results  Mexico  is  apparently  the  logical  source  at  the  present 
time. 

Importation  of  Labor  by  Railroads. — Before  national  immigration 
laws,  effective  last  spring,  practically  closed  Mexico  as  a  source  of  labor 
supply,  the  importation  of  Mexicans  for  railroad  construction  work 
had  a  material  effect  upon  the  farmers'  labor  supply.  Picking  men 
up  along  the  border  and  bringing  them  to  southern  California,  the 
effect  of  the  railroads'  work  was  materially  to  raise  the  level  of  the 
labor  reservoir.  From  the  railroad  camps  the  men  would  be  drawn 
to  the  ranches,  whenever  press  of  work  made  their  employment  desir- 
able. By  tolerating  loss  of  men  in  this  way,  the  railroads  occupied  a 
very  important  place  in  providing  labor,  recognizing  that  the  "bor- 
rowing" of  these  men  by  the  farmers  would  mean  an  increased  freight 
business  for  the  railroads  themselves. 

One  of  the  easiest  ways  to  begin  to  relieve  the  farm  labor  shortage 
necessitates  nothing  more  than  a  return  to  the  conditions  which  will 
permit  the  railroads  to  import  all  the  Mexicans  they  can  use  by  remov- 
ing, during  the  period  of  the  war,  all  restrictions  upon  importation  of 
Mexicans  or  their  employment  by  railroads,  and  to  encourage  resump- 
tion of  importation  on  an  extensive  scale  at  the  earliest  opportunity. 

It  is  particularly  important  that  importation  of  labor  be  in  charge 
of  some  organization  able  to  meet  all  needs,  since  anyone  who  attempts 
to  import  labor  will  soon  find  he  must  bring  in  enough  to  supply  the 
needs  of  all  sections.  One  section  draws  upon  the  labor  supply  of  a 
neighboring  section/  a  practice  which  if  continued  long  enough,  means 
that  the  importer  continues  to  furnish  labor  at  the  source  to  pass 
through  the  various  ramifications  of  labor  needs  until  an  equilibrium 
is  established. 

Labor  Under  Prescribed  Restrictions. — While  the  simplest  way  is 
the  way  just  outlined  above,  i.e.,  to  restore  conditions  by  which  the 
railways  reassume  the  burden  of  bringing  in  laborers,  it  is  well  to 
point  out  that  opposition  to  this  plan  may  have  to  be  met,  and  it  there- 
fore seems  wise  to  have  an  alternate  plan  in  case  the  preceding  method 
does  not  prove  workable. 

In  importing  Mexicans  the  past  season,  under  agreement  with  the 
United  States  Department  of  Labor,  the  six  sugar  beet  companies  of 
southern  California  were  held  morally  responsible  for  the  proper  care 
of  the  laborers  and  their  return  to  Mexico  at  the  expiration  of  the  time 
limits  allowed.     Since  it  is  possible  that  importation  of  labor  can  be 


20 

obtained  only  under  some  similar  method,  the  following  plan  is  offered 
as  a  working  basis  to  insure  quick  action  and  sure  results  as  soon  as 
the  need  for  labor  can  be  foretold  with  reasonable  accuracy. 

When  labor  is  to  be  brought  in  under  controlled  conditions,  charge 
of  the  men  should  be  vested  in  a  state  or  federal  official,  as  for  instance, 
the  superintendent  of  either  the  Public  Employment  Bureaus  of  the 
State  of  California  or  the  Federal  Employment  Service  of  the  United 
States  Department  of  Labor.  All  imported  labor  should  be  registered 
with  the  superintendent  and  be  checked  up  from  time  to  time  by  a  rep- 
resentative of  his  office.  Responsibility  for  seeing  that  imported  men 
stay  with  the  work  then  rests  with  the  state  and  not  with  the  individual 
farmer.    This  is  enlarged  upon  somewhat  a  few  paragraphs  below. 

In  planning  for  importation  of  labor  it  is  only  fair  to  insist  that 
those  needing  this  help  take  the  responsibility,  both  morally  and 
legally,  of  assuring  employment  to  the  imported  men.  With  definite 
promises  of  work  it  will  be  possible  to  determine  actual  needs  and  then 
to  bring  in  only  enough  men  to  meet  these  needs. 

In  most  cases,  because  of  the  short  periodical  needs  for  men  in  the 
specialized  industries,  with  which  California  agriculture  is  mostly  con- 
cerned, cooperation  will  be  necessary  between  different  sections  and 
perhaps  between  different  industries.  This  means  that  if  the  Delta 
farmers  can  use  and  will  agree  to  use  so  many  men  for  so  long,  then 
the  raisin  industry  or  the  sugar  beet  industry  or  cotton  picking  can 
perhaps  be  relied  upon  to  take  these  men  at  other  periods,  thus  insur- 
ing them  reasonably  steady  employment.  For  periods  when  agricul- 
ture does  not  need  the  men  attempts  should  be  made  to  get  the  lumber 
and  wood  camps,  and  railroad  or  road  maintenance  and  construction 
to  take  care  of  them. 

Housing  conditions  should  be  provided  in  accordance  with  regula- 
tions of  the  State  Commission  of  Immigration  and  Housing,  proper 
consideration  being  given  to  the  climatic  conditions  of  the  locality  and 
the  degree  of  responsiveness  of  this  labor  to  decent  surroundings. 

Since  the  wage  scale  and  hours  of  work  are  usually  subjects  of  con- 
tention, a  wage  schedule  equivalent  to  the  prevailing  wage  for  un- 
skilled labor  must  be  a  part  of  any  programme  in  importing  labor.  To 
determine  what  these  schedules  shall  be  can  perhaps  best  be  handled 
by  a  committee  clothed  with  authority  to  act.  This  committee  should 
be  representative  of  the  different  interests  involved.  It  should  include 
representation  from  the  farmers,  the  workers,  to  be  represented  by 
consuls  or  labor  union  officials,  the  state  (i.e.,  Commission  of  Immigra- 
tion and  Housing,   State   Council  of  Defense,   Bureau  of  Statistics, 


21 

United  States  Department  of  Labor),  and  the  business  interests  (i.e., 
railroads,  bankers,  lumbermen,  manufacturers  based  on  agriculture, 
such  as  sugar  mills).  This  committee  should  be  required  to  meet  at 
stated  intervals,  and,  from  statistics  of  present  supply  and  demand  for 
labor,  set  the  price  to  be  paid  for  the  ensuing  definite  period.  In 
considering  what  is  a  fair  wage  scale  the  board  should  bear  in  mind 
that  the  usual  newly  imported  classes  of  labor  are  unable  to  deliver  a 
full  day's  work  until  some  time  after  their  arrival.  A  graduated  scale 
may  therefore  be  necessary  in  making  up  wage  schedules.  In  southern 
California,  for  instance,  Mexicans  in  railroad  work  receive  about  fifty 
cents  a  day  less  than  other  ordinary  labor,  because  it  is  found  that  the 
incoming  labor  is  so  much  less  capable  that  the  average  daily  output 
is  reduced  to  this  extent. 

The  board  may  also  be  empowered  to  pass  upon  farmers'  requests 
for  labor.  On  receipt  of  a  definite  request  to  consider  importation  of 
labor  under  controlled  conditions  the  board  should  be  required  to 
review,  with  any  body  of  farmers,  all  details  and  with  them  to  formu- 
late a  basis  for  procedure.  The  board  would  endeavor  to  find  addi- 
tional work  for  the  people  to  be  imported,  to  insure  reasonably  steady 
employment;  and  to  attempt  to  secure  railroad  co-operation  in  connec- 
tion with  the  cost  of  importation. 

Obviously  importation  of  labor  under  the  foregoing  plan  is  of  first 
importance  only  to  the  large  employer  of  labor  or  to  farmers  operating 
concertedly.  But  if  these  men  and  organizations  can  be  supplied  in  a 
wholesale  way,  relief  for  the  employer  of  but  a  few  men  will  be  forth- 
coming automatically. 

Cost  of  Importation. — The  experiences  of  1917  indicate  that  the 
actual  expenses  of  bringing  in  labor  runs  to  a  high  figure,  even  when 
the  source  of  supply  is  as  close  as  Mexico.  For  this  reason  the  rail- 
roads should  be  considered  a  partner  in  any  importation  work,  with 
the  special  function  of  undertaking,  so  far  as  is  fair  and  reasonable  to 
them,  the  collection  and  importation  of  the  desired  laborers. 

Government  Importation. — So  many  difficulties  beset  the  work  of 
private  importation  that  once  the  need  of  outside  labor  is  definitely 
determined,  importation  of  it  under  federal  jurisdiction  is  almost  a 
practical  necessity,  even  under  prescribed  restrictions,  except  it  be 
done  by  the  railroads  as  already  indicated.  If,  for  example,  20,000 
men  are  needed  to  insure  California  crop  production,  the  responsibility 
for  getting  the  men  may  rightly  be  vested  in  federal  authority.  This 
authority  would  provide  concentration  camps,  guarantee  wages,  assure 
reasonably  steady  employment,  assign  the  jobs,  set  the  wage  scale, 


22 

determine  the  size  of  units  to  be  sent  out,  provide  group  foremen  and 
interpreters,  supply  transportation  from  place  to  place  as  crop  needs 
demand,  be  responsible  for  proper  housing,  protect  the  farmer  from 
unfair  desertions,  and  keep  constant  track  of  all  the  men  involved. 
Farmers  or  others  wanting  this  labor  would  deal  directly  with  this 
governmental  agency,  not  with  the  men  themselves. 

It  is  believed,  moreover,  that  these  suggestions  can  be  carried  out 
without  any  taint  of  peonage  or  other  character  repugnant  to  our  laws 
and  customs.  Non-fulfilment  of  contract  should  merely  mean  deporta- 
tion to  the  laborer's  own  borders. 

Employee's  Point  of  View. — Considerable  evidence  has  been  col- 
lected to  throw  light  upon  the  employee's  point  of  view.  From  the 
material  gathered  thus  far  it  appears  that  there  are  cases  where  labor 
has  been  mistreated,  ranging  in  degree  all  the  way  from  light  mistreat- 
ment to  that  of  the  grossest  sort. 

Sooner  or  later  everyone  who  delves  into  the  farm  labor  problem 
finds  himself  face  to  face  with  the  question:  "What  is  the  underlying 
cause  of  the  present  unrest  among  the  men?"  Evidences  that  unrest 
is  generally  prevalent  can  be  noted  on  every  hand.  The  need  of  solving 
the  problem  is  important  for  several  reasons.  Granted  that  these  dis- 
contented ones  are  "marginal  men,"  there  are  altogether  too  many  of 
them  for  the  good  of  the  community.  In  other  words,  their  problem  is 
one  in  which  society  must  interest  itself.  With  present  lack  of  men 
every  means  must  be  taken  to  remove  the  cause  of  the  restlessness  and 
thereby  enhance  efficiency.  The  liquor  curse,  the  pool  hangouts,  the 
quick  shift  from  job  to  job,  are  only  symptoms.  Is  this  unrest  due  to 
half -education,  to  earlier  sorrow,  to  a  craving  for  adventure,  to  a  loss 
of  ideals,  to  a  feeling  that  capital  is  arraigned  against  labor,  to  sensi- 
tiveness continually  touched  by  neglect,  until,  the  individual  loses  his 
grip,  to  a  lack  of  an  outlook,  of  an  ideal,  or  too  much  prosperity? 

Both  farmer  and  worker  will  be  the  gainer  when  the  reason  or  rea- 
sons are  made  clear,  assuming  that  there  is  a  common  answer.  En- 
lightenment should  come  from  the  men  themselves — not  from  the 
employers. 

Upon  the  answer  to  this  question  depends  whether  or  not  better 
housing,  food,  hours,  wages,  etc.,  are  of  primary  or  only  of  secondary 
importance.  It  is  possible  that  when  the  real  cause  or  causes  of  unrest 
are  discovered,  these  items  will  assume  such  a  small  place  that  they 
may  be  ignored  as  not  a  general  panacea  for  present  labor  shortages. 


23 


PART  II 

STUDIES  IN  DETAIL 

In  April,  1917,  the  office  of  State  Farm  Labor  Agent  was  created  to  direct 
the  farm  labor  activities  of  the  University  of  California,  College  of  Agriculture 
and  of  the  Committee  on  Kesources  and  Food  Supplies  of  the  State  Council  of 
Defense.  June  1st,  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  vested  its 
work  in  this  state  in  the  same  office,  thus  making  the  efforts  of  one  man  and 
his  associates  responsible  for  the  three  interests. 

Personnel. — S.  B.  Freeborn  of  the  College  of  Agriculture  faculty,  was  obliged, 
after  three  months'  service,  to  sever  his  connections  with  the  office. 

Beginning  August  20th,  Professor  M.  B.  Pratt  of  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia has  been  able  to  give  one-half  his  time,  chiefly  in  the  field,  to  the  work 
of  the  office. 

A.  J.  Nielsen  spent  three  months  during  the  summer,  as  student  assistant, 
closing  investigational  work. 

Organisation. — From  time  to  time  other  members  of  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia College  of  Agriculture  staff  have  been  assigned  to  assist  in  the  work, 
and  some  student  labor  has  also  been  utilized.  On  an  average  two  of  the  staff 
have  been  kept  constantly  occupied,  and  one  student  about  half  of  the  time. 
These,  with  a  stenographer,  have  constituted  the  working  force  of  the  central 
office. 

To  handle  local  labor  matters  directly,  arrangements  were  early  completed 
for  the  appointment,  by  each  County  Council  of  Defense,  of  a  County  Farm 
Labor  Agent;  this  agent  to  be  the  Farm  Adviser  in  every  county  having  such 
an  officer.  Many  agencies  have  assisted  in  the  work  of  this  office,  among  which 
the  California  Commission  on  Immigration  and  Housing  and  the  California 
Public  Employment  Bureaus  deserve  special  mention. 

The  state  office,  with  respect  to  county  needs,  acted  primarily  as  a  clearing- 
house. This  plan,  furthermore,  called  upon  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  to 
appoint  such  district  agents  as  seemed  necessary,  whose  requirements  should 
be  met  by  the  County  Agent.  These  were  the  lines  proposed  by  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture  for  organizing  the  state  comprehensively  in 
order  to  meet,  if  possible,  all  emergencies  arising  from  farm  labor  needs. 

Briefly  summed  up,  the  duties  of  the  local  farm  labor  agents  and  County 
Farm  Labor  Agents  were  indicated  to  be  as  follows: 

(A;  Local  Agents: 

1st — To  act  as  a  labor  bureau  for  his  territory. 

2d — To  be  within  telephone  call  at  certain  specified   hours   each   day,   e.g., 

12  to  1  and  6  to  7  p.m. 
3d — Keep  a  list  of  all  applications  for  work    (as  per  form  No.  1  shown  in 

pamphlet,  "The  Farm  Labor  Situation  in  California"). 
4th — Keep  a  list  of  all  requests  for  farm  help  (as  per  form  No.  2,  shown  in 

pamphlet,  ''The  Farm  Labor  Situation   in   California"). 


24 

5th — Endeavor  to  supply  the  farmers  from  his  available  lists,  and  by  can- 
vassing so  far  as  he  is  able  the  local  supply  for  additional  help. 

6th — If  unable  to  supply  local  needs  directly  the  local  agent  is  to  report  to 
the  County  Agent  for  workers. 

7th — Eender  a  weekly  report  to  the  County  Farm  Labor  Agent  on  form 
No.  3. 

(B)  County  Agents: 

1st — To  act  as  a  labor  bureau  for  his  county. 

2d — To  be  within  telephone  call  at  certain  specified  hours  each  day,  e.g., 
8  to  12  and  2  to  5  p.m. 

3d — Keep  a  list  of  all  applications  for  work  coming  to  his  office  directly 
(using  form  No.  1,  shown  in  pamphlet.  ' '  The  Farm  Labor  Situation  in 
California"). 

4th — Keep  a  list  of  all  requests  for  farm  help  (using  form  No.  2,  shown  in 
pamphlet,  "The  Farm  Labor  Situation  in  California"). 

5th — Endeavor  to  supply  the  farmers  from  his  available  lists,  and  by  can- 
vassing so  far  as  he  is  able  the  local  supply  for  additional  help. 

6th — To  make  every  attempt  to  utilize  elsewhere  in  the  county  surplus  sup- 
ply of  labor  reported  by  the  local  farm  labor  agents. 

7th — Try  to  meet  from  other  county  resources  requests  for  additional  farm 
help  coming  from  local  farm  labor  agents. 

8th — Eender  a  weekly  report  to  the  State  Farm  Labor  Agent  on  form  No.  4. 


SEAECH  FOE  ADDITIONAL  LOCAL  SOUECES  OF  LABOE 

Efforts  to  find  potential  supplies  of  labor  in  California  resulted  as  shown 
below. 

State  Prisons. — At  a  conference  with  Warden  J.  A.  Johnston  of  San  Quentin 
the  policy  of  the  state  for  the  utilization  of  men  under  sentence  was  determined 
to  be  as  follows:  Only  paroled  men  are  available  for  private  concerns,  singly 
or  in  groups  of  not  more  than  three  or  four;  permanence  of  the  job  essential; 
men  must  make  a  report  weekly  to  Parole  Officer,  otherwise  are  exactly  like 
free  citizens;  employer  expected  to  sign  statement  regarding  wages  and  con- 
ditions and  indicating  his  readiness  to  notify  the  officer  if  the  employee  is  in 
danger  of  ' '  slipping. ' ' 

Warden  Johnston  is  very  anxious  to  place  San  Quentin  prisoners  on  the  farm. 
Men  are  never  released  to  work  for  a  private  concern  under  guard.  In  every 
case  it  is  the  idea  to  get  the  men  away  from  the  prison  atmosphere,  and  to 
avoid  exploitation.  Wages,  housing  conditions,  etc.,  are  contracted  for  exactly 
as  with  free  labor,  the  prisoner  accepting  or  declining  the  offer,  as  he  sees  fit. 

The  most  important  limitation  on  the  other  side  is  the  small  number  of 
farmers  who  will  knowingly  employ  paroled  prisoners.  Transportation  expenses 
are  generally  forwarded  by  the  employer  who  in  some  cases  demands  that  the 
prisoner  refund  this  from  his  first  check. 

The  normal  output  of  paroled  men  is  from  forty  to  fifty  per  month,  but  if 
the  demand  for  labor  exceeds  the  normal,  it  may  be  possible  to  let  out  a  larger 
number,  as  availability  of  work  is  a  controlling  factor  with  the  Parole  Board. 


25 

Folsom  is  governed  by  the  same  rules,  and  about  half  as  many  paroled  men 
are  available. 

Dependents,  convicts  not  subject  to  parole,  mental  defectives,  and  other 
such  people  can  be  utilized  to  good  advantage  only  if  worked  in  groups  under 
direction  of  those  capable  of  handling  them.  Men  of  this  class  cannot  be 
scattered  individually  throughout  various  farms,  because  the  average  farmer 
cannot  closely  supervise  their  work  or  prevent  their  escape,  nor  does  he  care 
to  trust  them  with  valuable  stock  or  implements. 

The  regulations  as  outlined  above  definitely  restrict  personal  use  of  this 
sort  of  labor. 

Highway  Work. — Highway  work  in  California  is  prosecuted  most  actively 
during  the  months  when  the  farmer  is  in  sharp  need  of  teamsters.  Inquiry 
into  the  possibility  of  curtailment  by  the  Highway  Commission,  last  summer, 
resulted  as  follows: 

No  men  or  teams  were  available  for  release  from  maintenance  and  repair 
work,  and  no  contractor  could  be  expected  to  release  any  men  or  stock  from 
units  now  under  construction,  for  the  following  reasons: 

1.  Constant  pressure  from  Washington  to  hasten  building  and  keep  up  with 
repairs,  in  view  of  possible  military  contingencies. 

2.  Necessity  of  continuing  all  highway  work  in  interest  of  the  farmer  him- 
self and  of  the  community — i.e.,  of  giving  best  possible  opportunity  of  moving 
his  crops  rapidly,  safely,  and  cheaply. 

Later  advices  indicate,  however,  that  highway  work  must  be  materially  re- 
duced because  of  a  railroad  embargo  on  gravel,  cement,  and  other  such  material. 
This  should  increase  perceptibly  the  supply  either  of  work  stock,  or  of  team- 
sters and  other  able-bodied  laborers. 

Men  from  Alaska. — About  4500  men  employed  on  the  Alaskan  Coast  in  fish- 
eries and  canneries  come  down  every  year  to  San  Francisco.  They  begin  to 
move  in  about  the  middle  of  September  and  are  all  back  within  a  month  or 
six  weeks.  The  Mexicans  and  Filipinos,  numbering  perhaps  1000,  appear  to 
drift  rapidly  into  the  beet  fields.  Many  of  the  other  men  are  not  available  for 
several  weeks,  or  until  their  earnings  are  gone.  Nothing  could  be  done  this 
season  to  increase  the  number  or  efficiency  of  laborers  from  this  source, 
although  the  supply  offers  possibilities  if  rightly  handled. 

Supplying  Additional  Labor. — The  actual  amount  of  additional  help  either 
the  State  or  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  have  been  able  to  develop  has  been 
small.  Something  was  accomplished  in  arranging  for  use  of  high  school  and 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  boys,  in  obtaining  negroes  for  cotton  picking  from  the  vicinity  of 
Los  Angeles,  and  in  a  few  other  minor  ways.  Texas  and  Oklahoma  families 
have  been  brought  in  by  the  Imperial  Valley  growers  working  through  their 
County  Farm  Labor  Agent. 

The  best  work  has  been  brought  about,  not  by  increasing  the  amount  of 
help — although  this  is  much  to  be  desired — but  in  a  better  utilization  of  the 
help  already  available.  Each  county  agent  has  to  a  large  extent  been  able  to 
act  as  a  clearing  house  for  his  community  and  has  in  this  way  brought  many 
employers  and  employees  together.  Together,  the  State  and  County  Farm 
Labor  Agents  placed  a  total  of  4615  workers. 

Plans  have  been  set  going  by  this  office  for  certain  conferences  this  winter 
that  should  lead  to  a  wider  and  more  satisfactory  utilization  of  available 
"marginal"  labor  during  the  coming  crop  season  in  case  of  need. 


26 

Reduced  Transportation  Rates. — Convinced  that  California  agriculture  suf- 
fers from  lack  of  labor  mobility — since  the  crops  develop  in  more  or  less  regular 
cycles,  to  harvest  which  successfully  requires  much  traveling  from  place  to 
place  on  the  part  of  laborers,  while  many  crops  are  so  far  removed  from  centers 
of  labor  supply  as  to  make  it  impossible  for  men  to  pay  their  fares — the  desir- 
ability of  granting  reduced  rates  to  farm  help  has  been  urged  upon  the  railroads. 

It  is  hoped  that  something  may  yet  be  done  to  render  paid  transportation 
cheaper  for  the  migratory  worker,  whether  through  reduced  rates,  or  the  intro- 
duction of  second  and  even  of  third  class  coaches,  or  the  wider  development  of 
auto-bus  traffic. 

Training  School. — To  bring  about  an  increase  in  the  number  of  trained  farm 
hands,  arrangements  were  made  on  September  11th  with  the  University  Farm 
at  Davis  to  provide  instruction  for  men  desiring  to  learn  how  to  milk,  drive 
team,  run  Fresno  scraper,  irrigate,  or  do  general  farm  work.  Facilities  are 
available  for  fifteen  men  who  will  live  under  regular  ranch  conditions. 

Word  passed  to  members  of  the  College  of  Agriculture  faculty,  including 
the  Farm  Advisers,  and  to  various  individuals  so  situated  that  they  could  bring 
the  matter  to  the  attention  of  anyone  interested,  did  not  result  in  a  single  appli- 
cation. A  state-wide  publicity  campaign  was  therefore  inaugurated  (October 
18th),  the  net  results  of  which  to  date  are  only  sixteen  requests  for  information 
and  six  applications.  Two  men  have  been  sent  to  the  farm  thus  far,  one  of 
whom  immediately  changed  over  to  the  Tractor  Short  Course  then  being  given, 
while  the  other  is  at  work. 

In  sending  information  to  prospective  applicants  it  is  pointed  out  that: 

"The  course  of  training  will  cover  sufficient  time  to  harden  men  and  develop 
sufficient  skill  to  insure  their  successful  employment  upon  ranches.  The  kind 
of  work  will  be  largely  optional  with  each  individual  so  far  as  conditions  for 
giving  instruction  will  permit.  Applicants  for  this  course  will  fill  out  Form 
F  S  No.  1. 

"Applicants  will  pay  their  own  transportation  and  provide  their  own 
blankets.  They  will  then  be  given  one  week's  trial  to  see  how  they  take  to  the 
work  and  to  test  out  their  fitness.  They  may  leave  at  the  end  of  that  time. 
If,  however,  the  applicant  gives  reasonable  promise  of  making  a  success  of  ranch 
work,  and  if  he  desires  to  continue  the  training,  it  is  expected  that  the  appli- 
cant will  then  agree  to  stay  until  he  is  ready  to  enter  actively  into  agricultural 
work  and  will  give  reasonable  assurance  that  he  will  take  up  the  work.  Board 
and  lodging  will  be  furnished  free.  No  charge  will  be  made  for  training,  and 
no  payment  made  for  work  done  by  applicant  when  training. 

"Attempts  will  be  made  by  the  State  Farm  Labor  Agent  to  place  men  to 
advantage,  and  the  demand  is  usually  such  that  all  will  be  employed,  although 
no  definite  promise  can  be  made  of  employment.  It  may  be  pointed  out  that 
courses  are  offered  only  along  lines  where  a  real  shortage  of  labor  is  already 
apparent." 


27 

Applicants  are  required  to  fill  out  a  form  as  follows: 

Form  F.  S.  1 

Application  for  Admission  to  Farm  Labor  Practical  Training  School 
Davis,  California 
Please  consider  me  an  applicant: 

Name  of  applicant  

Nationality 

Mail  address  

Telephone 

Previous  training  in  agriculture?  

Previous  experience  in  agriculture?  

Know  anything  about  farming? 

Reason  for  going  to  school? 

Expect  to  enter  active  work? : 

Wages  expected  in  active  work? 

Any  dependents? 

Your  physical  condition? 

If  tried  for  one  week  and  considered  satisfactory  for  additional  training,  will 

you  promise  to  stay  till  end  of  work  if  continued? 

When  can  you  start  training? 

Personal  interviews  follow  the  submission  of  an  application  and  only  men 
having  outward  evidences  of  being  willing  and  able  to  develop  successfully 
will  be  chosen. 


INVESTIGATIONS  TNTO  WAGES,  HOUSING,  HOURS,  BOARD  AND 

SUPERVISION 

Introduction. — So  much  adverse  comment  has  come  to  us  upon  the  failure  of 
many  California  ranchers  to  provide  a  going  wage,  decent  housing,  proper  board, 
reasonable  working  hours,  and  ability  to  handle  men,  that  we  have  made  most 
careful  inquiries  into  the  merits  of  these  statements. 

Twenty-six  experiences  were  collected  from  university  students  who  had 
worked  on  ranches  under  men  other  than  relatives.  These  students  were  able 
to  present  clear-cut  points  of  view,  and  in  most  instances  presented  their 
deductions  without  feeling  or  bias.  The  experiences  are  classified  under:  Treat- 
ment by  foremen,  work  hours,  food,  and  living  quarters.  A  summary  of  the 
various  experiences  resulted  in  the  following  answers: 

Treatment  by  foremen:  Satisfactory,  21;  fair,  3;  poor,  2. 

Working  hours:  Satisfactory,  23;  too  long,  3;  too  short,  0. 

Food:  satisfactory,  15;  very  good,  2;  not  satisfactory,  9. 

Living  quarters:  Satisfactory,  8;  very  good,  5;  unsatisfactory,  13. 

Based  on  percentages  satisfactory  conditions  were  reported: 

Treatment  by  foremen 81%  Food    65% 

Working  hours   88%  Living  quarters  50% 

So  far  as  these  experiences  are  indicative  they  tend  to  eliminate  the  lack 
of  ability  of  foremen  to  handle  men  and  do  not  bear  out  the  contention  that 
the  working  hours  are  too  long.  They  do,  however,  emphasize  the  fact  that 
food  and  living  quarters  demand  more  consideration. 

Extracts  from  the  experiences  referred  to  above  may  be  of  interest. 


28 


Foremen  's  Eelationship  to  Men 

(1)  "When  I  first  landed  on  the  job  the  farmer  walked  about  the  place  with 
me,  talking  incessantly  and  telling  me  he  had  changed  the  place  from  a  desert 
to  its  present  state.  From  that  time  on  he  never  acted  as  friendly  except  on 
days  when  he  had  been  'in  town.' 

"He  generally  set  us  to  work  on  new  jobs  in  the  morning  after  breakfast. 
His  directions  were  brief  but  usually  very  indefinite,  so  that  we  often  worked 
quite  a  while  without  being  sure  that  we  were  doing  the  work  to  suit  him  as 
for  instance:  'You  fellows  can  go  to  work  on  that  ditch  on  the  last  forty.  Take 
four  mules  with  you.  It's  the  old  ditch  running  past  the  potato  patch.'  With 
that  he  was  off  with  a  bang,  and  seldom  spoke  of  the  work  until  we  came  in 
with  the  implements.  He  never  tried  to  hurry  us  and  even  when  the  work  was 
piling  up  he  seemed  to  have  all  the  time  in  the  world." 

(2)  "The  farmer  was  a  fairly  good  man  to  work  for.  He  generally  acted 
about  the  same  whether  the  work  was  progressing  properly  or  not,  but  small 
things,  often  no  one's  fault,  having  no  one  to  blame,  would'  excite  him,  when 
he  would  curse  everything  in  sight,  guilty  or  not  guilty.  After  he  had  cooled 
down  he  would  feel  cheap  and  side  around  to  us  as  much  as  to  ask  our  pardon. 
In  this  way  he  would  lose  our  respect  and  cause  us  to  lose  interest  in  things. 
The  Swiss  people  were  less  subject  to  hurt  feelings  or  loss  of  interest  than 
Americans. ' ' 

(3)  "In  my  opinion  the  men  on  the  ranch  were  not  handled  very  well  and 
although  we  were  all  driven  we  didn't  give  as  much  as  we  would  under  a  more 
congenial  management.  The  way  this  foreman  handled  us  sure  showed  that  men 
can  't  be  driven  and  I  believe  more  could  have  been  received  from  the  men  had 
he  been  a  little  more  'one  of  us'  and  not  been  such  a  'slave  driver.'  " 

(4)  "The  foreman  was  very  severe  and  overbearing,  but  I  ignored  him,  since 
all  that  I  wanted  was  experience,  and  believe  me,  I  got  it.  I  was  sent  down 
well-pits,  100  feet  in  depth,  in  mud  up  to  my  waist,  to  examine  leaks.  On 
windy  days  I  was  sent  to  the  tops  of  old  windmills  about  50  feet  in  height  to 
dismantle  the  uppermost  machinery.  He  never  had  a  word  of  encouragement  or 
a  smile  upon  his  countenance." 

(5)  "No  one  ever  interfered  with  the  men  when  they  were  at  work.  The 
work  was  never  found  fault  with  nor  was  the  work  ever  commended.  A  man 
might  work  extra  hard  in  order  to  finish  a  job  up  in  a  hurry  or  else  take  extra 
pains  with  the  work.  However,  neither  the  foreman  nor  the  superintendent 
would  ever  say  a  word  about  the  work  to  anyone.  The  same  applies  to  work 
done  carefully  as  well  as  work  done  in  a  sloppy  and  careless  manner.  His 
orders  were  usually  very  short  and  indefinite.  He  would  seem  to  take  it  for 
granted  that  the  workman  could  read  his  mind  and  could  tell  exactly  where 
and  what  was  to  be  done  from  a  very  few  indefinite  orders." 

(6)  "The  foreman  was  well  educated,  had  seen  a  good  deal  of  the  world, 
and  knew  his  business  thoroughly.  Gave  the  impression  at  the  start  that  he  was 
a  dependable  man  who  could  use  his  brains  and  use  them  to  the  best  advantage. 
He  treated  an  applicant  kindly  and  with  interest,  taking  up  first  what  the 
applicant  had  done  in  the  past,  the  applicant's  ideas  on  what  he  wanted  to  do 
now,  and  there  explaining  what  the  position  was  and  what  he,  the  foreman, 
expected  of  the  applicant. 


29 

' '  After  working  under  him  for  a  while  one  had  the  same  dependable  feeling 
concerning  him  as  at  the  first.  He  knew  what  he  wished  done  and  when  it  was 
to  be  done,  and  expected  the  man  working  under  him  to  do  the  job.  And  it  was 
usually  done  in  the  best  way  the  man  could  do  it." 

Work  Hours 

(1)  "We  worked  about  ten  hours  a  day  from  6  a.m.  to  11  a.m.  and  from 
2  p.m.  to  7  p.m.  I  think  that  these  hours  are  about  right  for  under  those  con- 
ditions (Imperial  Valley),  since  they  were  short  enough  so  that  both  the  man 
and  teams  could  keep  it  up  daily  without  playing  out  and  at  the  same  time  gave 
us  a  good  rest  during  the  heat  of  the  day.  One  good  thing  about  these  working 
hours  was  that  they  were  definite  and  when  we  were  through  we  felt  free  to 
rest  and  not  as  though  we  should  be  doing  some  odd  ends." 

(2)  '  'Working  hours  vary  to  the  kind  of  work — some  days  were  too  long, 
but  as  all  laborers  will  say  none  are  too  short. 

"Example:  I  was  milking  a  string  and  doing  a  good  day's  work  picking- 
apricots  besides — hours  too  long. 

"Example:  I  was  in  Modoc  County,  California,  this  summer;  one  average 
day's  work  was  about  ten  hours — satisfactory. 

"Example:  The  average  day;s  work  which  I  have  done  was  about  nine  hours 
— all  satisfactory." 

(3)  "Working  hours  were  long.  Feed  and  harness  team  between  5  and  6 
in  the  morning,  going  to  the  field  at  6:30  or  7,  leaving  the  field  at  12  for  noon 
and  starting  back  at  1,  then  leaving  field  at  6  and  take  care  of  team  after 
reaching  the  barn.  The  distance  to  and  from  work  made  the  day  longer  than 
hours  as  given  indicate." 

(4)  ' '  The  working  hours  were  on  the  average  eight  hours  a  day.  If,  how- 
ever, there  was  anything  extra  to  be  done  one  was  always  willing  to  work  extra 
hours.  For  it  was  only  for  necessary  things  which  were  extra  and  he  was  per- 
fectly willing  to  do  the  job  himself  if  the  need  arose.  Men  did  not  complain 
as  a  rule,  though  some  thought  the  hours  too  long." 

Food 

(1)  "The  food  was  fairly  satisfactory.  There  was  practically  no  variety 
whatever  in  our  diet  and  the  food  was  often  prepared  by  the  unskilled  hands  of 
the  farmer's  children.  However  it  was  wholesome  food  and  there  was  plenty  of 
it  so  we  didn't  kick.' 

(2)  "Some  ranches  and  outfits  lay  on  satisfactory  grub  and  some  rotten. 
Example:  While  working  for  a  cattle  man  in  Modoc  County,  California  and 
Nevada,  an  instance  of  bad  food  occurred  only  at  the  home  ranch  where  his 
stingy  wife  lived.  Bad  food  and  same  kind  of  grub  three  times  a  day  caused 
a  greater  discontent  among  laborers  than  anything  else." 

(3)  "The  food  was  very  good  with  three  square  meals  a  day  and  we  cer- 
tainly needed  them." 

(4)  "Foreman's  wife  did  the  cooking  and  we  had  plenty  of  good,  plain, 
wholesome  nourishing  food,  and  it  was  served  at  regular  hours." 

(5)  "The  food  was  exceedingly  plain  and  served  only  in  moderate  amounts 
and  with  very  little  variety." 

(6)  "The  food  was  very  inferior.  The  milk  was  skimmed,  flavored  mainly 
by  the  drowned  flies  contained  therein.     Steaks  were  his  specialty.     If  they 


30 

were  placed  on  the  railroad  track  they  would  wreck  the  fastest  train  known. 
They  were  certainly  first-class  material  for  making  saddles.  Every  time  I  think 
of  Hing  Loo  I  lose  my  appetite.'' 

(7)  ''Food  was  at  times  very  bad.  There  was  always  plenty  but  the  cook- 
ing was  often  very  bad.  The  cook  would  become  very  lazy  at  regular  intervals 
and  the  food  would  be  correspondingly  bad.  Every  now  and  then  the  man  in 
charge  of  the  cookhouse  would  go  after  the  cook  and  for  a  short  time  the  meals 
would  be  good.  However,  as  a  rule,  the  food  was  very  poorly  cooked  and  at 
times  not  fit  for  hogs  to  eat. ' ' 

(8)  "Food  was  not  very  good,  that  is,  not  well  cooked  and  was  too  small 
in  quantity.  If  you  sometimes  came  late  to  the  table  you  might,  many  times, 
not  get  enough  to  eat." 

(9)  "The  food  was  excellent.  Nothing  fancy,  but  plenty  of  good,  whole- 
some food.  And  though  sometimes  it  wasn't  cooked  enough  or  perhaps  burned, 
accidents  will  happen  and  men  of  a  laborer's  class  wouldn't  notice  it  if  the 
circumstance  occurred  only  once  in  a  while.  There  was  always  plenty  of  food 
for  all  and  that  is  what  counts." 

(10)  "While  we  boarded  at  the  home  ranch  we  had  plenty  to  eat  and  the 
food  was  of  good  quality,  but  we  later  took  a  cookhouse  and  then  our  troubles 
commenced.  We  moved  into  a  new  section  and  camped  at  an  old  abandoned 
ranch.  The  water  was  very  poor,  as  the  well  was  full  of  sand  and  dirt.  It 
was  also  very  alkaline.  We  had  a  poor  cook  and  half  the  time  he  didn't  cook 
enough  to  eat.  The  cookhouse  didn't  have  good  screens  and  we  had  to  beat  the 
flies  or  we  lost  out  on  the  food.  In  fact  the  State  Camp  Sanitation  Inspector 
could  have  found  several  things  to  interest  him  if  he  had  happened  to  visit  us." 

Living  Conditions 

(1)  "The  living  quarters  were  a  fright.  They  were  low,  dingy,  old  shacks 
full  of  dirt,  old  shoes  and  clothes,  and  specked  with  chicken  droppings  where 
the  chickens  had  roamed  or  roosted.  The  place  seemed  alive  with  insects  and 
germs.  I  immediately  asked  permission  to  sleej)  on  a  haystack  nearby,  since 
I  had  my  own  blankets  together  with  my  belongings,  which  were  wrapped  in  a 
large  red  handkerchief.  This  I  called  home  except  when  a  thunder  shower  came 
along,  when  the  haywagon  furnisned  some  covering." 

(2)  "The  living  quarters  appear  to  be  a  small  item  to  most  of  the  men  I 
have  worked  for.  Example:  While  working  for  hay-pressers  and  threshers  I 
expected  nothing  more  than  the  hay;  but  on  a  well  established  ranch  and 
employing  many  men  and  making  good  profits,  I  was  given  a  roll  of  blankets 
and  told  to  sleep  in  the  barn.  There  was  no  reason  why  this  man  could  not 
furnish  respectable  sleeping  quarters." 

(3)  "Good  beds  were  provided  in  tents  outside,  which  helped  very  much." 

(4)  "The  living  quarters  were  very  good.  Two  of  the  men  slept  in  a  small 
bunk-house,  which  was  kept  very  neat  and  clean." 

(5)  "The  living  quarters  were  rather  poor  and  the  beds  had  bedbugs.  I 
slept  in  an  old  wagon  filled  with  straw,  using  a  couple  of  my  own  blankets." 

(6)  "The  living  quarters  ranked  in  the  same  class  as  the  food.  A  berth  in 
the  Pullman  consisted  of  a  four-posted  arrangement  filled  with  straw,  bedbugs 
and  fleas;  mostly  bedbugs.  They  would  hide  in  the  stalks  by  day  and  crawl  out 
of  their  shell  per  p.m.  and  attack  their  most  beloved  enemy. 


31 

"Ventilation  consisted  of  'Union  Leader'  and  'Bull  Durham'  smoke  which 
came  in  contact  with  the  outer  air  through  the  cracks  of  the  wall.  Sheets, 
pillow  slips  and  pajamas  were  present  in  minus  quantities.  Essence  of  stale 
beer,  whisky  and  other  homogeneous  mixtures  were  present  from  Saturday  night 
until  Tuesday  or  Wednesday  a.m." 

(7)  "The  living  quarters  were  fine,  best  in  the  State  according  to  the  help. 
Each  man  had  an  individual  room  and  an  iron  bed.  Gunny  sacks  served  as 
a  mattress.  A  large  reading  room  was  also  provided.  Secondhand  magazines 
were  furnished  by  some  club  women  in  Chico,  and  I  think  they  were  really 
appreciated  by  the  men." 

(8)  "Upon  our  arrival  in  the  evening  we  were  shown  the  bunk-house  by  a 
wave  of  the  foreman's  hand  toward  the  bunk-house  and  told  that  the  feathers 
were  in  the  barn.    We  were  told  to  come  in  to  supper  with  the  men  at  6  o'clock. 

"Living  quarters  were  very  disreputable — dirty,  dusty,  and  full  of  fleas  and 
bedbugs,  etc.  Another  man  and  T  came  to  work  at  the  same  time  and  after 
one  superficial  glance  at  the  sleeping  quarters  we  decided  to  sleep  outside  under 
a  tree  on  a  pile  of  hay.  Within  a  week  nine  other  men  had  moved  out  of  the 
bunk-house  and  followed  our  example  of  sleeping  under  the  stars." 

(9)  "The  living  quarters  were  separate  rooms  for  two,  with  a  shower  at 
end  of  hall.  Eough  and  ready,  but  comfortable,  was  a  room  to  lounge  in,  with 
'Snappy  Stories,'  etc.,  as  a  type  of  reading  matter.  Papers  were  taken  legu- 
larly.    Place  was  kept  clean." 

(10)  "Bunk-house  was  filthy  and  full  of  fleas.  I  fixed  up  a  bunk  outside, 
filled  it  with  hay  and  had  a  good  bed." 

(11)  "The   men's   living   quarters   were   very   poor.      The   bunk-house    was 
old  and  dirty  and  slightly  infected  with  vermin,  fleas,  etc.     It  had  one  little 
window.     All  the  men  slept  out  of  doors  while  I  was  there,  but  in  the  winter 
time  it  must  be  bad.    The  men  ate  in  the  kitchen  of  the  ranch  house." 
Certain  Additional  Observations  are  Worth  Inserting: 

(1)  "I  would  have  to  be  pretty  hard  up  to  work  as  ranch  hand  again, 
because  of  the  shortness  of  the  jobs  and  while  hunting  for  a  job  all  the  profit 
is  taken  out  of  it.  I  estimate  that  the  year  through  I  averaged  $7.50  a  week, 
though  I  was  not  out  of  work  more  than  the  average  man;  so  just  as  soon  as  I 
got  enough  health  to  last  me  a  few  years  longer  I  went  back  to  my  job  in  the 
shop  in  town,  which  though  only  $2  a  day  then  was  steady  work.  Also  when 
working  in  town  I  can  have  a  place  at  least  a  little  bit  better  than  only  'a  place 
to  hang  my  hat.' 

"T  don't  wonder  that  many  of  the  'blanket  men'  are  poor  workers,  un- 
reliable and  averse  to  staying  long  at  a  job.  I  would  probably  become  one 
myself  if  I  had  stayed  in  ranch  work.  Having  to  change  jobs  every  few  weeks 
or  days,  having  to  travel  all  over  the  State  to  get  work,  is  enough  to  make 
anyone  form  the  habit  of  restlessness.  The  idleness  betwen  jobs  and  unhygenic 
methods  of  living  contribute  toward  making  them  poor  workers." 

(2)  "The  influence  of  contact  with  the  farm  hands  was  not  very  elevating. 
A  large  percentage  could  not  understand  English,  except  when  the  foreman  told 
them  to  get  a  move  on  or  get  their  time.  Most  of  the  conversation  consisted 
of  who  was  the  most  popular  bartender  in  town,  and  the  one  that  was  the  most 
popular  was  the  one  that  got  you  drunk  or  intoxicated  rather,  the  quickest,  or 
the  one  who  was  the  most  liberal  with  his  wares.  Newspapers  were  read 
occasionally,  the  sport  and  josh  pages  being  the  most  popular.     Each  hand  had 


32 

his  tale  of  woe  and  explained  why  he  degraded  to  the  level  of  a  farm  hand. 
In  eight  cases  out  of  ten  it  was  due  to  the  effects  of  John  Barleycorn. 

"The  men  thought  only  of  the  immediate  present  and  the  coming  Saturday 
night.  Of  course  there  were  a  few  good  hands  that  worked  conscientiously  and 
saved  practically  all  their  wages.  These  were  scarce,  being  far  and  few 
between." 

(3)  "Plenty  of  good,  wholesome  food,  clean  quarters,  a  ready  knowledge  of 
the  men — ' a  using  from  the  ranks'  proposition — steady  work  with  reasonable 
hours,  some  recreation  and  outside  interests.  These  are  a  good  basis  for  success 
in  getting  a  hold  of  men,  together  with  a  personality  which  the  men  can  like  or 
at  least  trust  and  call  square. ' ' 

(4)  "Labor  is  provided  for  the  men  who  are  kept  through  the  winter  in 
cutting,  splitting,  and  stacking  wood  in  the  large  barn  on  the  ranch,  so  that  the 
majority  of  the  hands  are  assured  of  steady  labor  the  year  round  if  they  do 
the  work  required  of  them  in  a  thoroughly  satisfactory  manner. ' ' 

Findings  of  the  Commission  of  Immigration  and  Housing 

Since  the  first  of  April  an  average  of  two  field  men  of  the  Commission  of 
Immigration  and  Housing,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  George  L.  Bell,  have  been 
kept  constantly  busy  inspecting  farm  labor  camps.  First  inspection  of  farm  help 
quarters  very  frequently  leads  to  warning.  Re-inspection  after  warning  gener- 
ally shows  that  the  employer  has  come  up  to  the  standard  set  by  the  Commission. 
The  inspectors  report  that  improvement  in  housing  conditions  results  at  once 
in  a  more  satisfactory  and  contented  class  of  labor,  though  not  a  few  progres- 
sive employers  tell  us  that  in  these  present  times  the  excellent  accommodations 
they  furnish  help  them  in  getting,  but  not  at  all  in  keeping,  their  hired  hands. 

A  difficulty  encountered  in  connection  with  housing  recommendations  lies 
in  the  fact  that  the  large  ranch  can  often  afford  to  put  up  housing  for  all  the 
help  that  it  requires  throughout  the  year  while  the  small  rancher,  employing 
perhaps  only  from  one  to  four  or  five  men  the  year  round,  may  find  it  all  but 
impossible  to  provide  favorable  facilities  for  his  additional  labor  in  harvest 
time.  The  Commission's  inspectors  report  that  big  operators  are  quick  to  note 
results  coming  from  improved  housing,  but  that  the  small  operator  is  slow  to 
see  its  advantages. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  inspectors  say  that,  in  general,  farm  conditions 
with  reference  to  housing  will  not  compare  favorably  with  those  of  other 
industries. 

Due  to  the  kind  cooperation  of  Mr.  George  L.  Bell  we  are  able  to  present 
the  following  findings: 

Wages. — As  collected  by  inspectors  the  wage  range  for  unskilled  labor 
averaged  per  day  for  1917:  Agriculture — general  ranch  work,  $2.00  to  $2.50; 
sugar  beet  work,  $2.00  to  $2.25;  fruit,  $2.25  to  $3.00.  Construction,  $2.50  to 
$3.00;  highway  and  grading,  $2.25  to  $3.50;  mines  and  quarries,  $2.50  to  $3.00; 
railroad,  $2.25. 

Sanitary  Conditions  of  Camps. — The  sanitary  condition  of  117  agricultural 
camps  inspected  in  1916  classified  as:  Good,  21%;  fair,  28%;  bad,  51%.  In 
1917,  114  agricultural  camps  were  rated  as:  Good,  18%;  fair,  28%;  bad,  54%. 
A  comparison  of  the  1916  figures  with  those  for  camps  of  other  industries  shows 
a  somewhat  similar  state  of  affairs  with  the  balance  somewhat  against  the  agri- 


33 

cultural  camps.  For  this  year  342  camps  used  in  construction,  railroad,  highway 
and  grading,  mines  and  marries,  and  oil  aveiaged:  Good,  26%;  fair,  34%; 
bad,  40%. 

JSiatioiiaWy  of  Labor,  1917. — Americans,  Japanese,  Mexicans,  Chinese,  Hindus, 
Italians,  Spanish,  Greeks,  Slavonians,  Filipinoes,  Koreans,  and  Indians  are 
reported  from  the  124  ranches  visited  by  inspectors. 

If  representation  in  each  of  the  industries  may  be  taken  as  a  guide,  the 
industries  favored,  so  far  as  this  investigation  goes,  by  different  nationalities 
are  in  order  of  choice:  Americans,  hops,  rice,  fruit;  Japanese,  grapes,  rice; 
Mexicans,  fruit,  sugar  beets,  grape;  Chinese,  hops,  rice;  Hindus,  grape,  rice; 
Italians,  grape,  fruit;  Spanish,  fruit;  Greeks,  grapes  only;  Indians,  hops  only. 
Other   nationalities    have   too   few   individuals   reported   to    permit    deductions. 

The  nativity  of  labor  employed  in  agriculture  for  all  ranches  reported  is 
made  up  of  more  than  half  its  numbers  of  native  born  in  the  beet  hop  and 
general  ranch  work  and  to  less  than  half  native  born  in  the  fruit  and  grape 
industries.  Cotton  laborers  are  reported  as  about  equal  in  numbers  of  native 
and  foreign  born. 

Compared  with  other  industries,  as  construction,  highway  and  grading, 
lumber,  mines  and  quarries,  railroad  and  oil,  the  native  born  in  agriculture 
makes  up  an  average  of  51%  as  against  64%  in  other  industries. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  94%  of  the  oil  workers  are  native  born. 

Nationality  Preferred  by  Foremen. — Totals  collected  in  1916  and  1917  cover- 
ing agriculture  show,  from  a  total  of  241  opinions,  no  preference  on  the  part 
of  58%  of  the  foremen,  16%  preferring  American  born  help,  and  26%  favoring 
foreign  born.  Of  the  foremen  stating  a  choice  foreign  born  preferences  are 
expressed  by  those  in  charge  of  grape  and  beet  camps. 

I.  TV.  TV.  Points  of  View. — George  Speed,  San  Francisco  I.  W.  W.  leader, 
admitted  during  an  interview  with  representatives  of  this  office  that  housing 
and  other  conditions  were  improving  on  the  Pacific  Coast  ranches,  but  asserted 
that  vastly  more  improvement  was  necessary  before  the  laborer  would  be  satis- 
fied. Lack  of  decent  conditions  were  largely  to  blame  for  common  laborers' 
irresponsibility. 

Mr.  Speed  further  maintained  that  the  common  laboring  man  has  been  so 
much  abused  by  employers  and  foremen,  so  ' '  chased  from  pillar  to  post, ' '  that 
he  had  come  to  feel  absolutely  no  interest  in  his  employer's  success.  This  was 
largely  responsible  for  his  tendency  to  jump  a  job  before  it  was  done  in  order 
to  make  sure  of  a  new  and  perhaps  more  desirable  job. 

At  a  meeting  November  22nd,  arranged  by  Mr.  W.  S.  Goodrich,  of  the  Oak- 
land Public  Woodyard,  at  which  Miss  Pollak  and  Messrs.  Esmond,  Fox,  and 
Hoffman  were  present,  attempts  were  made  to  get  the  I.  W.  W.  point  of  view, 
but  nothing  further  of  any  substantial  value  to  the  present  emergency  could 
be  obtained. 

Pratt's  Findings. — As  a  result  of  special  inquiry  into  housing  conditions  and 
the  handling  of  men,  Pratt  of  this  office  makes  the  following  statements: 

11  Employment  agents  and  men  frequenting  their  offices  have  a  very  poor 
opinion  of  the  living  conditions  on  the  average  farm,  and  speak  far  more 
favorably  of  those  in  lumber  and  construction  camps. 

"There  is  some  evidence  to  show  that  farmers  in  general  fail  in  comparison 
with  competing  employers  in  tact  and  ability  in  handling  men,  especially  the 
class  of  men  represented  by  our  wandering  labor.     It  should  be  noted  that  the 


34 


lumber  companies  compete  very  strongly  with  our  farmers  because  our  logging 
is  done  in  the  summer  and  fall. 

' '  On  large  ranches,  particularly,  there  is  apt  to  be  a  close  connection  be- 
tween the  ability  of  the  manager  or  foreman  and  the  housing  as  well  as  the 
character  and  efficiency  of  the  employees. ' ' 

Summer  Housing  of  Men. — During  the  summer  season  the  majority  of  farm 
laborers  prefer  to  sleep  out-of-doors  and  require  no  housing  during  the  peak  of 
the  harvest.  The  bunk-house  is  primarily  winter  quarters.  At  the  time  of  year 
when  the  press  of  work  is  the  greatest  crews  are  handled  only  for  a  short 
period,  which  results  in  the  prevailing  opinion  that  ranchers  should  not  be 
expected  to  furnish  indoor  quarters  for  large  summer  crews.  Failure  to  pro- 
vide decent  sanitary  measures,  however,  has  accompanied  lack  of  housing  in  too 
many  instances. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  much  evidence  to  show  that  the  present-day 
migratory  labor  strongly  resents  the  lack  of  roofed  quarters  in  the  California 
harvest  season.  This  is  partly  because  he  comes  from  radically  different  cli- 
matic conditions,  partly  because  he  dislikes  to  carry  the  bedding  required  by 
our  cool  summer  nights,  partly  because  he  wants  to  feel  "at  home"  where  he 
has  a  job,  and  partly  because  all  these  considerations  have  been  deliberately 
exploited  and  capitalized  by  the  agitator. 

Laborers  Are  Careless. — Just  grounds  for  complaint  on  the  part  of  the  farmer 
may  be  found  in  that  the  itinerant  ranch  hand  in  many  instances  will  make 
absolutely  no  effort  to  keep  a  bunk-house  decent.  This  statement  applies  par- 
ticularly to  the  small  employer  hiring  transient  labor  for  short  periods,  where 
the  care  of  the  bunk-house  must  of  necessity  be  left  to  the  laborers  themselves. 

Investigations  into  Wages  Paid  oy  Industries  Other  than  Agriculture. — During 
September  inquiries  by  mail  were  made  to  learn  what  wages  are  paid  by  indus- 
tries competing  with  agriculture  for  labor.  Eates,  as  submitted  to  us,  reduced 
to  cents  per  hour,  for  such  industries  as  oil,  iron  works,  railroad,  sugar  refinery, 
road  construction,  tannery,  ship  yard,  mine,  contractor,  lumber,  powder  works, 
lime  quarry,  and  potash  works  ranged  from  22  to  43.7  cents,  including  value  of 
perquisites,  or  a  general  average  of  31.8  cents  per  hour. 

Wages  Paid  Agricultural  Workers. — A  good  insight  into  wages  offered  farm 
laborers  during  1917  is  afforded  by  the  records  of  the  Public  Employment 
Bureaus  of  California.  Through  the  courtesy  of  the  Superintendent,  Mr.  C.  B. 
Sexton  we  are  able  to  offer  data  especially  indicative  of  conditions. 

The  increased  calls  for  men  during  the  months  of  July,  August  and  Sep- 
tember, 1917,  over  the  corresponding  period  in  1916  were  as  follows: 

San  Francisco  Office 

Farm  hands  applied  for,  1917 235 

Farm  hands  applied  for,  1916 88 

Per  cent  increase,  over  160% 

Farm  teamsters  applied  for,  1917 99 

Farm  teamsters  applied  for,  1916 8 

Per  cent  increase,  over  1100% 


35 


Sacramento  Office 

Farm  hands  applied  for,  1917 214 

Farm  hands  applied  for,  11)16 204 

Per  cent  increase,  5% 

Teamsters  applied  for,  1917 150 

Teamsters  applied  for,  1916 81 

Per  cent  increase,  over  80% 

The  increased  amount  of  wages  offered  during  1917  over  the  corresponding 
period  of  1916,  based  on  the  above  data,  is  also  significant. 


Wages  Offered  Applicants  for  Farm  Work 

(Months  of  July,  August  and  September) 


San  Francisco 
Farm  hands  Teamsters 


Sacramento 
Farm  hands  Teamsters 


Range* 

191 

$15- 

$20 

20- 

25 

25- 

30 

30- 

35 

3 

35- 

40 

38 

40- 

45 

20 

45- 

50 

43 

50- 

60 

61 

60- 

70 

16 

70 

and 

over 

2 

Rate 

not 

set 

2 

1916 


5 
22 
36 

1 


1917 


4 
1 

45 

24 

3 

2 


1916 


1917 


8 

118 

13 


1916 

1 

7 

16 

134 

10 

21 

4 


1917 


1916 


1 
4  7 


20 

8 


*  Board  and  lodging  furnished  in  addition. 

i 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  some  increase  in  application  is  due  to  the 

fact  that  in  1916  the  office  was  new  and  farmers  were  not  fully  acquainted  with 
its  scope.  The  most  remarkable  evidence  is  offered  by  the  increase  in  wages. 
In  1916  the  bulk  of  wages  offered  by  farmers  applying  to  the  San  Francisco 
office  was  between  $30  and  $40.  In  1917  it  ranged  between  $45  and  $60,  with 
a  good  showing  in  the  $35  to  $40  group. 

At  Sacramento  the  bulk  of  applications  offered  between  $30  and  $40  in 
1916  for  farm  hands  and  between  $50  and  $70  in  1917. 

Applications  to  San  Francisco  offce  for  teamsters  offered  for  the  few  demanded 
in  1916  a  range  of  $30  to  $40,  while  in  1917  the  range  was  from  $45  to  $60. 
At  Sacramento  applications  for  teamsters  in  1916  offered  wages  from  $35  to 
$50  and  in  1917  from  $50  to  $60. 

Other  Examples  of  Farm  Wages. — Investigations  into  various  wages  paid 
for  ranch  labor  showed  that  in  southern  California  during  September  rates 
were  about  as  follows: 

Length 
Kind  of  work  of  day 

Cutting  corn  10 

Harvesting  sugar  beets   9 

Bean    harvest — Roustabouts    and    sack 

tenders     10 

Bean  harvest — Spool  tenders  10 

Dixon  grain  farmers  offered  the  past  season  for  the  three  or  four  weeks  of 
bucking  sacks  $3.00  to  $3.50  and  board. 


Value 

Value 

Rate 

wages 

board 

per  hour 

Year 

$3.25 

$1.00 

42.5c 

1917 

2 . 2  5 

25.0c 

1917 

2.50 

.75 

32.5c 

1917 

2.75 

.75 

35.0c 

1917 

36 

Samples  of  rates  offered  for  ranch  labor  as  posted  on  the  State  Employment 
Bureau  bulletins  at  Fresno,  September  22nd,  were  as  follows: 

Ranch  hands,  $2.00  and  board. 
Hay  pitchers,  $2.00  and  board,  free  fare. 
Muckers  and  miners,  $2.25  and  board. 
Unload  cars,  $2.75  without  board. 

Power  construction,  $2.75  and  board  75c   (for  the  San  Joaquin  Light  & 
Power  Co.). 

The  average  wage  paid  by  fruit  growers  was  from  $2.50  to  $2.75  per  day 
and  board,  but  the  jobs  only  lasted  sixty  days  at  the  longest.  This  year  the 
peaches  and  grapes  came  at  the  same  time,  so  that  the  period  of  work  was 
shorter  than  usual.  Men  preferring  to  work  at  piece  work  rather  than  by  the 
day,  were  paid  rates  set  by  the  Valley  Fruit  Growers'  Association. 

Thirty-six  dairies  in  the  vicinity  of  San  Francisco  and  Oakland  answering 
questions  concerning  costs  entering  with  1917  milk  production  show  a  range 
and  average  monthly  wage,  board  in  addition,  in  payment  of  labor  as  follows: 

Number  dairies  Range  Average 

Milkers  26  $45-$80  $58 

Farm  hands  20  35-   75  50 

Cooks    14  *20-   80  43 

Foremen  9  75-125  100 

*  Low  limits  probably  paid  to  foreman's  wife. 

Attempts  by  Fanners  to  Fix  Wage  Scales. — Two  instances  of  new  attempts 
on  the  part  of  farmers  to  fix  wage  scales  came  to  our  attention  during  the  past 
season. 

San  Fernando  farmers  in  convention  at  Van  Nuys,  July  21st,  set  the  wage 
for  sugar  beet  harvest  on  a  sliding  scale  of  80  cents  per  ton  as  a  standard  for 
10-ton  crop,  varying  with  the  tonnage  from  55  cents  for  18-ton  yields  to  $2.35 
for  three-ton  yields.    It  was  agreed  by  all  to  stand  by  the  scale. 

At  the  same  meeting  teamsters  were  raised  from  $1.50  to  $1.75  when  em- 
ployed in  handling  six  or  eight-horse  teams  hauling  beets  for  a  ten-hour  day; 
board  and  lodging  in  addition.  The  scale  for  irrigators  was  set  for  25  cents 
per  hour,  with  board  and  lodging. 

The  Valley  Fruit  Growers'  Association,  with  headquarters  at  Fresno,  estab- 
lished the  following  wage  schedule  for  the  1917  season,  from  which  ranchers 
determined  not  to  deviate. 

Time  rates: 

July  25c       per  hour 

August    27^c  per  hour 

September    30c       per  hour 

Piece  work,  or  contract  work: 

Picking  peaches  $2.00  per  ton 

Picking  grapes:  Standard  crop  of  1-1%  trays  per 
vine,  Muscats  3c  per  tray;  Thompson  Seedless  and 
Sultanas 2%c  per  tray 

Bonuses. — The  practice  of  paying  bonuses  for  length  of  service  is  growing  in 
the  state.    Examples  were  found  at  the  Elwood  Ranch,  Santa  Barbara;  the  Van 


37 

Loben  Sels  Ranch,  at  Vorden;  the  Meek  Ranch,  at  Antioch;  in  certain  sugar 
beet  fields,  and  in  berry  fields  at  Sebastopol. 

Investigations  up  to  this  date  will  not  permit  the  drawing  of  conclusions, 
since  there  appears  to  be  evidence  both  for  and  against  the  efficacy  of  bonuses. 
Some  who  have  heretofore  used  the  bonus  system  have  abandoned  it  for  the 
present  in  the  case  of  new  employees,  since  they  claim  that  it  has  had  no  effect 
whatever  upon  getting  men  to  stick  to  the  job. 

Farmers'  Eesults  with  Better  Housing. — To  determine  to  what  extent  better 
housing  has  influenced  their  labor  supply  we  sent  a  letter  during  October  to 
twenty  farmers  who,  following  instruction  from  the  Commission  of  Immigra- 
tion and  Housing,  had  undertaken  to  provide  satisfactory  accommodations. 

Eight  replies  have  been  received.  Mr.  Geo.  C.  Roeding,  of  Fresno,  permits 
our  quoting  him: 

"  (1st).  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  say  definitely  that  the  changes  I  made  in 
following  the  suggestions  of  the  Commission  of  Immigration  and  Housing  have 
paid  as  far  as  the  employment  of  help  this  year  was  concerned.  On  general 
principles  I  want  to  say  that  I  am  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  to  make  the  housing  conditions  for  farm  laborers  better  than 
they  have  been  on  the  farms  as  a  whole  in  California.  One  of  the  discouraging 
features  has  been  the  difficulty  of  making  laborers  understand  and  appreciate 
the  efforts  of  employers  in  this  direction.  The  roving  element  is  not  any  too 
clean  as  it  is,  and  they  are  in  many  instances  lacking  in  appreciation  when 
they  are  given  more  satisfactory  quarters  than  they  have  ordinarily  been 
accustomed  to. 

"For  the  welfare  of  the  farming  interests  of  this  State,  every  effort  must  be 
made  to  make  the  white  help  understand  that  it  is  to  their  interests  to  become 
identified  with  the  places  where  they  are  employed,  and  in  order  to  do  this  it 
is  my  candid  opinion  that  the  employer  should  make  the  housing  conditions  of 
such  a  character  that  the  employees  will  understand  that  their  employer  is 
personally  interested  in  their  welfare. 

"(2nd).  I  would  certainly  recommend  that  farmers  throughout  the  State  do 
everything  they  possibly  can  to  make  their  housing  conditions  so  satisfactory 
that  their  laborers  cannot  find  fault  with  their  conditions.  The  recommenda- 
tions made  by  the  State  Commission  of  Immigration  and  Housing  are  certainly 
of  such  a  character  that  there  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not  be  followed  on 
all  our  farms. 

"One  of  the  difficulties  they  will  have  to  overcome  is  to  convince  many  of 
the  farmers  themselves  that  cleanliness  and  more  careful  attention  to  the  hous- 
ing of  their  tools  and  implements,  as  well  as  of  their  men,  will  redound  to 
their  benefit  in  more  ways  than  one. 

"The  farmers  have  certainly  reaped  a  great  harvest  this  year  and  they  are 
in  a  more  prosperous  condition  than  they  ever  have  been,  and  if  there  ever 
was  a  time  to  inaugurate  a  campaign  to  improve  conditions,  it  seems  to  me  that 
time  has  arrived,  and  measures  should  be  taken  to  cause  the  farmers  of  Cali- 
fornia to  rigidly  obey  the  recommendations  made  by  the  Commission  of  Immi- 
gration and  Housing. " 

The  other  letters  summed  up  as  follows:  All  but  one  farmer  think  that 
better  housing  has  paid  both  in  obtaining  and  in  holding  labor,  and  they  recom- 
mend to  farmers  generally  that  they  improve  conditions. 

Bringing  in  Labor  under  Contract.— -H.  A.  Cable,  Deputy  Commissioner  of 
Labor  Statistics,  with  offices  in  Los  Angeles,  is  authority  for  the  statement 
that  there  is  nothing  in  the  statutes  to  prevent  a  firm  from  bringing  laborers 
in  from  another  state  under  contract,  no  cash  wages  to  be  paid  until  passage 
money  advanced  shall  be  worked  out,  it  being  assumed,  of  course,  that  the 
laborer  as  well  as  his  employer  is  perfectly  familiar  with  the  terms  of  his 
contract. 


38 

Mr.  Cable  also  says  that  a  laborer  quitting  his  job  under  such  a  contract 
before  he  has  worked  out  his  passage  money  has  no  legal  claim  for  wages  up 
to  the  time  of  quitting;  on  the  other  hand,  that  his  employer  has  just  cause  for 
a  civil  suit  in  such  a  case  for  non-fulfilment  of  contract.  It  is  interesting  to 
note  that  a  case  of  this  kind  has  recently  arisen  at  a  quarry  in  San  Bernardino 
County,  where  laborers  imported  from  Missouri  to  do  quarry  work  quit  before 
working  out  their  passage  money.  These  men  were  apprehended,  lodged  in 
jail  and  charged  with  obtaining  goods  under  false  pretentions,  the  men  having 
quit  almost  immediately  upon  their  arrival  at  the  quarry,  evidently  having 
used  this  job  as  a  means  of  obtaining  free  transportation  without  any  real  inten- 
tion of  going  to  work.  The  justice  of  the  peace  who  heard  the  case  dismissed 
it.  These  men  then  took  steps  through  the  State  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics 
to  collect  wages  alleged  to  be  due  them,  but  after  the  lapse  of  six  weeks  or 
more  the  wages  have  not  been  collected  and  yet  no  suit  has  been  instituted. 

LOSSES  DUE  TO  SHORTAGE  OF  LABOR 

Evidences  of  Losses. — The  real  test  of  labor  shortages  comes  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  season  when  results  of  the  year's  work  may  be  summed  up. 
There  are  four  possible  classes  of  losses. 

(a)  Losses  in  total  production  through  non-utilization  of  idle  lands,  due  to 
failure  to  plant,  or  the  sacrifice  of  the  crop  through  inability  to  care  for  it 
during  growth  or  at  harvest. 

(o)  Losses  in  quantity  due  to  delayed  seeding,  cultivation  or  harvest,  i.e., 
poor  stands,  alfalfa  cut  too  ripe  for  use,  grain  shattering,  fruit  over-ripe. 

(c)  Losses  in  quality  due  to  delay,  i.e.,  potatoes  sprouting,  fruit  over-ripe. 

(d)  Losses  due  to  non-utilization  of  land  for  a  second  crop  because  of 
delay  in  removal  of  first  crop  from  lack  of  help. 

There  may  be  other  classifications  worth  adding  but  this  will  serve  for  the 
present  as  a  general  working  basis. 

The  kind  and  extent  of  losses  in  food  products  directly  traceable  to  lack 
of  labor  are  difficult  to  estimate  and  yet  the  extent  of  loss  is  of  vital  need  in 
determining  labor.  It  is  somewhat  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  distinguish 
between  losses  due  to  lack  of  labor  and  to  usual  climatic  vagaries,  or  to  the 
presence  of  weeds,  diseases  or  insects. 

Believing  this  test  to  be  the  real  crux  of  the  situation  every  effort  was  made 
to  determine  something  of  the  losses  resulting  from  labor  shortage. 

Evidences  of  losses  have  been  sought  in  several  ways,  chief  among  which 
were: 

(a)  Investigations  in  the  field  by  representatives  of  this  office. 

(b)  Requests  in  October  of  twenty  farm  advisors  for  statement  of  losses  then 
known  to  them. 

(c)  Institution  of  a  month  of  farm  center  meetings  during  November  by 
farm  advisors  to  unearth  all  possible  evidence  of  losses. 

(77)  Requests  of  twenty-two  county  farm  labor  agents  other  than  farm 
advisors  for  statement  of  losses  as  determined  by  them   (November). 

(e)  Personal  letters  to  150  farmers  in  different  parts  of  the  state  asking  for 
their  experiences   (November). 

(f)  Requests  of  the  College  of  Agriculture  faculty,  the  Commission  of  Immi- 
gration and  Housing  and  organizations  in  touch  with  farming  conditions 
(October). 


39 

Full  details  of  the  investigation  are  on  file  in  the  office,  with  sample  blanks 
and  accompanying  letters  where  they  can  be  consulted  since  lack  of  space 
necessitates  their  exclusion  from  this  report. 

Tn  general,  the  investigation  was  conducted  to  gather  information  as  to: 
Losses  in  1917  in  acreage  due  to  inability  to  plant  because  of  a  shortage 

of  labor. 
Losses  in  1917  in  quantity  due  to  a  shortage  of  labor  (i.e.,  grain  shatter- 
ing, alfalfa  over-mature,  fruit  dropping,  loss  of  acreage  or  yield  from 
weeds  or  from  inability  to  cultivate,  etc.). 
Losses  in  1917  in  quality  due  to  shortage  of  labor  (i.e.,  weed  seed  present, 

fruit  over-ripe,  inability  to  thin  or  cultivate,  etc.). 
Shortage  of  labor  indicated  by  higher  wages  paid  in  1917  over  1916  for 

similar  work  and  during  comparable  periods  of  time. 
Shortage  of  labor  indicated  by 

(a)  Providing  better  housing  in  1917. 

(b)  Providing  better  board  in  1917. 

(r)   Providing  readjustment  of  hours  in  1917. 

Opinions  concerning  effect  of  1917  labor  shortage  on  acreage  production 
in  1918. 

Effect  of  military  draft  on  1918  crops  and  industries. 

Efficiency  of  labor  1917  compared  with  1916  and  causes  (i.e.,  drink,  dis- 
content, too  many  jobs  open,  etc.). 

Recommendations  to  meet  1918  needs. 

A  statement  as  to  the  number  of  farmers  (if  a  center  meeting),  acreages 
represented,  number  of  laborers  normally  employed,  and  type  of  farming  formed 
a.  part  of  the  inquiry. 

SCOPE  OF  INVESTIGATIONS  INTO  FINAL   OUTCOME   DUE    TO 
LABOR  CONDITIONS 

Farm  Centers. — During  November,  132  farm  center  meetings  discussed  the 
labor  situation,  these  meetings  being  located  and  attended  as  shown  below: 


Attendance  and  Acreage,  Farm  Center  Meetings 


County 
Fresno  .... 


Glenn 


Humboldt 


Attend- 

Center  an  re 

.Raisin  20 

Selma    30 

Kerman    8 

Reedley  50 

Fowler 10 

Parlier    8 

Sawyer 12 

Bavliss    30 

Ord  16 

Larkin     * 

Orland    

.Loleta   00 

Bavside    39 

Areata    122 

Ferndale  28 

Fortuna    35 

Shivley    20 


Laborers 

usuallv 

emnloved 

60 

Acreage 
repre- 
sented 
3,000 

600 

5,000 

81 

620 

500 

2,000 

240 

750 

269 

670 

600 

1.200 

Variable 

1.200 

Variable 

2,560 

Variable 

Variable 

148 

7,127 

15 

3,689 

109 

6,841 

56 

2.000 

40 

2,000 

Very  few 

400 

Type  of 
agriculture 

General  farming  and  fruit. 

Vineyard  and  orchard. 

General  farming  and  fruit. 

Fruit. 

Fruit. 

.fruit. . 

Fruit. 

General  farming,  dairying. 

General  farming,  dairying. 

*A  canvass  of  the  district. 

General  farming,  dairying. 
General  farming,  dairying. 
General  farming,  dairying. 
General  farming,  dairying. 
General  farming,  dairying. 
Truck,    dairying. 


40 


Att 

ENDANCE   AND  ACRE 

:age,  Faf 

IM  Cente 

ei  Meet] 

:ngs —  ( Continued ) 

County 

Center 

Attend- 
ance 

Laborers 

usually 

employed 

Acreage 
repre- 
sented 

Type  of 
agriculture 

Imperial 

Verde   

20 

25 

2,000 

Cotton,  alfalfa,  milo  maize. 

Eucalyptus  

5 

None 

580 

Grain,    general   farming. 

Meloland  

9 

None 

600 

Dairying. 

Mesquite  Lake.... 

10 

None 

1,600 

Dairying,   grain. 

Westmoland   

16 

15 

1,700 

Dairying,   grain,   alfalfa. 

25 

100 

2,500 

Cotton  and  grain. 
Cotton  and  grain. 

17 

35 

2,500 

12 

25 

1,500 

McCabe  

27 

7 

2,500 

Dairying,    corn,    cotton. 

Seeley  

25 

40 

4,000 

Dairying,   corn,   cotton. 

South  Fern  

20 

17 

2,000 

Cotton,  dairying,  gen.  farming. 

Kern 

Kern  Delta  

22 

12 

1,790 

General  farming. 

Edison-Fairfax  .. 

14 

25 

1,222 

Alfalfa,    grain,    vegetables. 

Rio    Bravo   

6 

7 

870 

Alfalfa,   Egyptian  corn,   rice. 

Delano    

6 

10 

842 

Alfalfa,  dairying,  wheat. 

Wasco     

31 

87 

2,629 

Alfalfa,  dairying,  wheat,  fruit. 

Tehachapi  

6 

30 

2,820 

Wheat  and  barley. 

Rosedale  

7 

21 

790 

Wheat  and  barley. 

6 

60 

1,310 
2,160 

Wheat  and  barley. 
Wheat  and  barley. 

Pond     

23 

18 

Madera 

Dairyland  

10 

28 

300 

General  farming. 

12 

25 

1,000 

Fairmead    

21 

1 

600 

General   farming. 

El    Nido    

17 

10 

450 

12 

35 

5,000 

Dos  Palos 

10 

25 

1,000 

Grain,   dairying. 

Cottonwood     

40 

110 

7,000 

Grain,   dairying. 

Planada    

12 

25 

2,500 

Grain,  dairying,  fruit. 

Delhi  

16 

40 

1,200 

Grain,  dairying,  fruit. 

9 

10 

450 

8 

16 

1,000 

15 

30 

550 

Fruit,  dairying,  gen.  farming. 
Fruit,  dairying,  gen.  farming. 

Winton  

50 

100 

1,800 

Livingston    

16 

50 

1,800 

Fruit,  dairying,  gen.  farming. 

Napa 

Coombsville  

12 

75 

[  i   in   :   - :              n 

Soda  Canyon   

15 

<i 

Fruit  and  general  farming. 

10 

1 

300 

Fruit  and   grapes. 

Spring  "Valley  

13 

6 

Chiles  Valley  

6 

11 

933 

Grapes,  grain,  fruit. 

35 

9,035 

Nevada  

Limekiln  

30 

11 

4,000 

Stock  ranges. 

Gold  Flat   

38 

10 

900 

Fruit,   vegetables. 

Clear  Creek   

15 

4 

4,800 

Stock  raising,  grain,  hay. 

Chicago  Park  

15 

21 

1,500 

Fruit. 

Penn  Valley  

20 

19 

6,000 

Stock  raising. 

Indian   Flat   

12 

9 

1,900 

Stock,  grain,  hay. 

Forest  Springs  ... 

4 

1 

1,000 

Stock,  grain,  hay. 

Peardale  

8 

7 

3,000 

Stock,  fruit. 

Birchville 

7 

2 

400 

Stock,   grain. 

Placer  

Mt.  Vernon 

54 

300 

1,400 

Fruit. 

Loomis 

15 

300 

450 

Fruit. 

Mt.    Pleasant   

24 

100 

540 

Fruit. 

Allen  

11 

25 

1,717 

Fruit,   grain. 

Gold   Hill  

29 

56 

783 

Fruit,  grain. 
Fruit,  grain. 

Weimar  

30 

48 

1,200 

Sheridan  

18 

30 

1,600 

Fruit,  grain. 

Riverside  

Corona    

42 

Fruit,  walnuts. 

Elsinore   

56 

Fruit,  walnuts. 

Perris  

10 

45 

1,500 

Alfalfa,   grain,   milo  maize. 

41 


Attendance  and  Acreage,  Farm  Center  Meetings — (Concluded) 


County 
Riverside 


Sacramento 


San  Joaquin 


San  Bernardi 


San  Diego 


Solano  .... 
Stanislaus 


Yolo 


Attend- 

Center  ance 

Banning  19 

Nuevo  21 

Fruitvale    14 

Jurupa    102 

Little  Rock  54 

Arlington    12 

Coachella    40 

Elverta    20 

Elk  Grove  9 

Arcada   8 

Gait     9 

Rio    Linda    25 

Consumne  7 

Fairoaks  4 

Escalon 48 

Acampo  7 

Thornton    8 

Bellota    11 

Lockeford  50 

Ripon 26 

Manteca    31 

Linden    25 

Parmington    41 

no  ...Fontana 21 

Highlands  44 

Chino    58 

Daggett    24 

San  Bernardino....  25 

Lucerne 15 

Potrero 13 

Alpine  10 

Jamul 8 

Jamacha  6 

Del  Mar  5 

Encinitos    

Bonsall  7 

Fallbrook    10 

Escondido  5 

Poway  16 

Lakeside  

Ramona    14 

Solano     22 

Fairview  30 

Claus    15 

Patterson    25 

Jennings  35 

Keyes    50 

Denair    16 

Hughson     20 

Mt.  View 50 

Clarksburg  17 

West  Sacramento..  13 

Madison    10 

Zamora   50 

Winters    100 

Dunningan  30 

Willow  Oak   10 

Totals    2,937 


Laborers    Acreage 

usually       repre- 
employed     sented 


Type  of 
agriculture 


80 

5.000 

Fruit,  potatoes,  truck 
Fruit,   general  farming. 

Fruit,  general  farming. 
Alfalfa,   truck,   dates. 

36 

1,000 

8 

975 

Fruit  and  grain. 

45 

Grain,   fruit. 

75 

8,000 

Grain,   fruit. 

4 

1,000 

12 

5,000 

Grain,   general  farming. 

25 

700 

Fruit. 

50 

1,500 

Alfalfa,  dairying,   fruit. 

30 

125 

Fruit. 

18 

1,280 

Grain,   alfalfa,  beans. 

12 

833 

Grain,   alfalfa,  beans. 

90 

11,000 

Grain,  dairying,  fruit. 

30 

7,000 

Alfalfa,   dairying. 

100 

4,500 

Beets,  alfalfa,  gen.  farn 

50 

3,500 

Fruit,   grain. 

45 

7,000 

Grain,  fruit. 

24 

1,500 

Fruit,   beans. 

10 

750 

Citrus  fruit. 

65 

1,765 

Hay,  grain,  beets,   fruit, 

20 

500 

Alfalfa. 

20 

350 

Alfalfa,  fruit. 

8 

300 

Alfalfa. 

3 

1.600 

General  farming,  bees. 

4 

650 

Fruit,    grain. 

5 

800 

Grain,  general  farming. 

15 

1,600 

Grain,  general  farming. 

6 

700 

Beans,   grain. 

0 

1,690 

Grain,   general  farming. 

0 

Grain,   general  farming. 

8 

125 

Orchard. 

15 

Fruit,  grain. 

14 

1,200 

5 

1,000 

Grain,    dairying. 

10 

Grain,  stock. 

10 

1.200 

General  farming. 

15 

450 

General  farming. 

25 

1,000 

General  farming. 

17 

1,400 

General   farming. 

50 

1.000 

General  farming. 

16 

750 

General  farming. 

20 

1,200 

General  farming. 

50 

2.000 

General   farming. 

Fruit. 
Grain. 

5,982        224,521 


42 


County  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors. — Of  the  twenty-two  counties 
organized  with  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors,  twelve 
reported,  as  follows: 


Reports  from  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors 

County  Reported  by 

Amador  Geo.  Woolsey, 

lone. 
Del   Norte  E.  D.  Doxsee, 

Crescent  City. 
El  Dorado  E.   J.   Kotak, 

Placerville. 
Mendocino  C.  Van  Dyke, 

Ukiah.  " 
Plumas    W.   B.   Perry, 

Greenville, 
(covering  northern 
San  Benito  L.  H.  Day, 

Hollister. 
San    Luis    Obispo S.  V.  Christienson, 

San  Luis  Obispo. 
Santa  Cruz  C.  J.  Rodgers, 

Watsonville. 
Sierra    R.  H.  Lewis, 

Loyalton. 
Siskiyou    .W.  L.  Kleever, 

Yreka. 
Sonoma  O.  E.  Brenner, 

Santa  Rosa. 
Tulare  Chairman,   Board 

of  Supervisors. 


Date 

Acreage 

Agriculture 

10/25 
10/29 
11/13 

10,590 

Fruit,    grain,    special. 

10/29 

10/28 

7,780 

Hay,  grain,  vegetables, 
fruit. 

f  county) 

10/25 

64,122 

Alfalfa,  fruit,  grain,  hay, 
beets,  seeds. 

10/24 

119,169 

Beans,   grain,   hay,  beets, 
potatoes. 

11/1 

10/24 

10/29      152,000 

Hay,   grain,  potatoes,   fruit, 

general. 

10/28 

75,000 

Fruit,     hops,     grain,     corn, 
tomatoes. 

11/21 

Private  Firms. — Seventy-three  firms  replied  to   our   communications,   details 
of  which  are  given  immediately  below: 

Firms  Reporting 


No. 


Name  of  firm 


Azusa-Foothill  Citrus 

Co. 
Anderson,  E.  B. 
Ayer  &  Pressley  Co. 
Alameda   Sugar  Co. 


Address  of  firm 
Azusa 


Walnut    Creek 

Windsor 

310  Sansome  St.,  San 
Francisco 
Balfour-Guthrie  &  Co.      San   Francisco 
Bancroft,  Frank  W.         Concord 


7  Burger,  B.  E.  Placerville 

8  Bardin,   Oliver   P.  Salinas 

9  Bardin,   Jim  &  Henry  Salinas 

10  Bonner   Packing   Co.  Fresno 

11  Blanchard  Investment  Santa    Paula 

Co. 


12      Brown,    Alex. 


Walnut     Grove 


13  Cottage  Garden  Nurs-      Eureka 

eries 

14  Coates  Nursery  Co.  Morgan   Hil 


Principal  crop 
Citrus  fruit 


No.  men 
Acreage  normally 
operated     employed 


Deciduous   fruit,    nuts 

120 

8-50 

Deciduous  fruit,    grapes 

105 

Beets 

9000 

Alfalfa 

Deciduous   fruit,    nuts 

456 

15-100 

gram 

Fruit,    potatoes 

140 

3 

Beets,    barley,    alfalfa 

230 

3-8 

Beans,    barley,    alfalfa 

1000 

10 

(17 

,000-stock) 

Oranges,   olives 

60 

2-3 

Citrus  fruit,   beans 

140 

Fruit,   truck,  beans, 

2300 

2 

00-240 

potatoes 

Alfalfa,    potatoes,    hay, 

300 

25 

corn,  dairying 

Fruit,    nuts 

90 

10 

43 


Firms  Reporting—  (Concluded) 


No. 

Name  of  firm 

15 

Clark,  Frank  C. 

16 

Calif.  Packing  Coi 
ation 

•por- 

17 

Dairy  Farms  Co. 

18 

Fred  S.  Ewer  Co., 

Inc. 

19 

Emmert,  M.   S. 

20 

Foster,  Chapman 

21 

Ficklin,  Walter  C. 

22 

Gammon,    E.   A. 

23 

Guillow,   Rene 

24 

Gaines,   C. 

25 

George,    J.   W. 

26 

E.  Clemens  Horst 

Co. 

No.  men 
Acreage       normally 


27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 


Humphrey,  A.  B. 
Hersman,   H.   S. 
Hagemann,  A. 
Hiatt,    Amos 
Iverson,    Mat 
Jameson,    W.    H. 


33  Loma    Rica   Ranch 

34  Laidlaw,    G.    G. 

35  Lewis   Dairy   Co. 

36  Miller   &   Lux 

37  Mel,    Louis 

38  May,   Henry 

39  May  wood  Colony 

40  Moorland  Farm 

41  McNamee,  W.  H. 

42  C.  C.  Morse  &  Co. 

43  John    McArthur   Co. 

44  Moulton    Irrigated 

Land   Co. 

45  Miller,   Guy  H. 

46  Neff,    J.    B. 

47  Oroville    Orange    & 

Olive    Growers 

48  Old   River   Farms   Co. 

49  Ogier,   J.    B. 

50  Post  Card  Ranch 

51  Pacific    States    Corp. 


52  Porter.    Robert 

53  Rindge    Land    &    Nav- 

igation   Co. 

54  Rancho    Sespe 

55  River  Farms  Co. 

56  San  comb,    Frank 

57  Stanford  Ranch 


Address  of  firm 

Principal  crop 

operated     employed 

Laytonville 

Nursery  stock 

Hay,  fruit,  truck,  grain 

10,000 

Up  to  600 

Modesto 

Alfalfa,    beans,    dairying 

530 

5-12 

Rutherford 

Grapes,  beans,  hay,  fruit 

170 

5-10 

Dunnigan 

Grain,    nuts,    grapes 

880 

4-12 

Salinas 

Beets,   barley,   alfalfa 

500 

3  and  contract 
labor  on  beets 

Kerman 

Grapes,   peaches 

50 

2-9 

Hood 

Fruit,   hay,    stock 

1000 

10-127 

Windsor 

Hay,  corn,  beans,  potatoes    180 

2-5 

Fresno 

Grapes,   peaches 

160 

2-30 

Pet  alum  a 

Poultry 

23 

2 

San    Francisco 

Hops,  barley,  potatoes, 
beans,   corn 

4000 

200-800 

Escalon 

General  farming 

800 

20 

Gilroy 

General  farming 

550 

Livermore 

General  farming 

780 

5-25 

Ceres 

General   farming 

Union 

Wheat 

450 

2 

Corona 

Fruit,    barley,    alfalfa, 
beans 

1000 

Grass   Valley 

Fruit,  beans,  hay 

400 

5-10 

Ontario 

Oranges,   peaches,    hay, 
walnuts 

35 

2 

San   Luis   Obispo 

Hay,    dairying,    beans 

400 

4 

Los    Banos 

Alfalfa 

30,000 

300-600 

1438  Third  Ave., 

Oakland 

Grapes 

139 

2-6 

Decoto 

Hay,   grain,    fruit,   vege- 
tables 

Corning 

Fruit,   alfalfa,   stock 

480 

10 

Milpitas 

Beets,    vegetables 

Oroville 

Figs,  oranges 

25 

1 

737-759     Front     St., 

Seed 

San  Francisco 

McArthur 

Hay,    grain,    stock 

24,000 

15-40 

Colusa 

Beans,  corn,  rice,  barley, 
alfalfa,  beets 

2Q,000 

200 

Modesto 

Alfalfa 

75 

2 

Anaheim 

Walnuts,    oranges 

60 

2-15 

Palermo 

Oranges,   olives 

660    Market    St.,    San 

Barley,    beans,    beets 

3600 

125 

Francisco 

San  Jose 

Hay,  alfalfa,  fruit 

1520 

10-15 

Stock,    dairying 

640 

12-15 

Broadway   at   8th    St., 

Beans,  alfalfa 

6000 

150-200 

Los  Angeles 

besides  labor 
in  beets 

Salinas 

Potatoes,    tomatoes 

Stockton 

Vegetables,  corn,  barley, 

21,300 

noo 

Sespe 

Crafton 
Durham 
Durham 


hemp 
Beans,   walnuts,   citrus  1500  110 

fruit 
Barley,   wheat,   rice  18,000  110 

Grain,  fruit 
Grain,    rice,  beets,    alf-      80,000  430-789 

alfa 


44 


Firms  Reporting- 


No. 

Name  of  firm 

Address  of  firm 

58 

Spreckels  Sugar  Co. 

Spreckels  ' 

59 

Shuey,    G.    R. 

Independence 

60 

Shaffer  Estate  Co. 

Inverness 

61 

Schultz,   Fred  W. 

Williams 

62 

San  Joaquin  Fruit  Co. 

Fustin 

63 

Scott,  Magner  & 
Miller 

Lakeville 

64 

Thatcher,    E.    S. 

Nordhoff 

65 

Thurber,   E.   R. 

Vacaville 

66 

Union   Sugar  Co. 

San  Francisco 

67 

Wrightson,     H.    W. 

Fowler 

68 

Wilson,  F.  H. 

Dinuba 

69 

Woodward,    L. 

Campbell 

70 

Webber  Bros. 

Byron 

71 

Wood  &  Co. 

Danville 

72 

Wheeler,  John  H. 

St.    Helena 

73 

Willoughby 

Calexico 

Principal  crop 

Acreage 
operated 

No.  men 
normally 
employed 

Beets,  beans,  barley 

32,876 

White  ranch 

labor ; 

200-500 

Asiatics 

Beets,    r^alfa,    hay 

1200 

20 

Beets,   dairying,   hay 

35,000     40-60  milkers 

Barley,  wheat 

4500 

8 

Oranges,    walnuts,   beans      1000 

70 

Hay,  stock 

2100 

10-20 

Citrus    fruit 

134 

8-20 

Fruit 

140 

8-28 

Beets 

7021 

178 

Grapes,    raisins 

43 

15 

Fruit 

750 

38 

Fruit 

Corn 

1200 

10 

Hay,    grain,    fruit,    stock      1830 

10-15 

Grapes,  walnuts,   dairy 

ng      250 

4-40 

Corn,  stock,  alfalfa,  barley      200 

2 

Total  

.331,566 

4592 

including    stock 

.    17,000 

348,432 

Average    

.      5,622 

In  reviewing  the  answers  received  to  our  inquiries  it  is  necessary  to  bear  in 
mind  the  effect  of  the  hot  weather  in  July,  which,  by  reducing  crop  yields  of 
southern  California,  also  curtailed  labor  needs  to  a  point  that  early  estimates 
of  expected  shortage  at  harvest  time  did  not  materialize.  A  very  dry  fall  also 
helped  the  labor  situation  because  no  demands  were  necessary  for  much  help 
for  limited  periods  which  in  ordinary  years  of  early  rains  causes  a  very  definite 
need  which  must  be  reckoned  with. 

Full  detailed  tables  are  presented  only  in  connection  with  the  discussion  of 
"Losses  Due  to  1917  Labor  Conditions"  and  "Effect  of  1917  Labor  Condi- 
tions upon  1918  Crops  and  Industries."  Careful  tabulation  of  the  other 
material  collected  in  these  investigations  has  been  made.  Although  omitted 
here  because  of  lack  of  space,  the  additional  tables  are  available  in  this  office 
for  consultation. 


INQUIRY  INTO  LOSSES  DUE  TO  LABOR  CONDITIONS  OF  1917 


The  investigations  into  losses  due  to  1917  labor  conditions  are  presented  in 
full,  (1st)  as  analysis  and  summary,  and  (2nd)  as  full  tabulated  details. 

Analysis  and  Summary. — In  general  the  total  evidence  shows  a  remarkably 
small  number  of  cases  of  actual  loss.  The  data  is  significant  in  that  losses 
are  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule.  Vaca  Valley  and  certain  firms  operating 
extensively  offer  the  only  evidences  of  general  losses  of  moment.  The  great 
majority  of  farmers  represented  in  the  reports  show  only  minor  or  local  losses. 


45 

The  large  operators  offer  more  evidence  of  losses  than  do  the  Farm  Center 
and  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors.  To  make  com- 
plete deductions,  losses  of  normal  times  should  be  taken  into  account,  which, 
unfortunately,  are  not  available  for  use  in  connection  with  these  data. 

Impromptu  Farm  Advisor  Estimates 

Only  one  Farm  Advisor  presented  an  impromptu  estimate  of  crop  losses. 
Summary  of  his  county — Yolo — indicated  that  the  effect  of  labor  shortage 
resulted  in: 

{a)  No  decrease  in  acreage. 

(&)  Two  cases  of  inability  to  procure  a  second  crop,  amounting,  in  one  case, 
to  $3000,  and  in  the  other  to  100  acres,  equally  divided  between  beans  and 
silage  corn. 

(c)  One  case — $2500 — of  overripe  fruit. 

(d)  No  loss  in  quality  or  in  harvest. 

Farm  Center  Eeports 

The  Farm  Center  reports  cover  132  centers  having  an  attendance  of  2936 
farmers  representing  225,573  acres  of  various  kinds  of  farming,  and  employing 
6002  laborers  under  normal  conditions. 

This  means  an  average  of  about  80  acres. 

Losses  in  Acreage. — Of  the  acreage  represented,  only  16  cases  of  losses  in 
acreage  are  reported  traceable  to  a  shortage  of  labor,  which  total: 

85  acres,  grain  sorghums. 
500  acres,  cotton  and  grain. 
470  acres,  beans. 
5  acres,  potatoes. 

55  acres,  vegetables. 

20  acres,  crop  not  stated. 

Losses  in  Quantity. — Fifty  cases  are  reported  of  losses  in  quantity  due  to 
labor  shortage,  which  total: 

Fruit 

1  case,     1000  lug  boxes  of  peaches. 

1  case,     10  acres  peaches — amount  not  stated. 

2  cases,  14^  tons  dried  peaches. 
2  cases,  25  tons  dried  fruit. 

1  case,     50  tons  green  fruit. 

(Vaca  Valley),  $25,000  on  dried  fruit. 

(Vaca  Valley),  $37,500  on  green  fruit. 
]   case,  $200  worth  of  grapes. 
1  case,  200  boxes  of  grapes,  acreage  not  stated. 
1   case,  15%  of  grapes. 
1  case,  50  boxes  of  pears. 
1  case,  2500  boxes  of  apples. 

Hay 

6  cases,  1st  cutting  on  247  acres  of  alfalfa. 

1  case,  3  cuttings  on  40  acres  of  alfalfa. 

1  case,  1  cutting  alfalfa,  acreage  not  stated. 

1  case,  $5000  loss  in  alfalfa  hay. 

1  case,  20  acres  alfalfa,  amount  not  stated. 

1  case,  40  tons  of  alfalfa  hay. 

1  case,  50  tons  of  hay. 


46 

Grain 

]   case,     10% — acreage  not  stated. 

1  case,     $420. 

2  cases,  shattering  loss — impossible  to  estimate. 

Field   Crops 

1  case,  "considerable"  loss  in  sugar  beets. 

1  case,  15  acres  potatoes. 

1  case,  10%  tomatoes. 

1  case,  5-10%  loss  in  cultivation. 

1  case,  22  acres  corn. 

Miscellaneous 
Loss  in  shearing  sheep. 
1000  cords  of  wood. 
Cases  where  neither  acreage  nor  crop  is  stated: 

6  cases  respectively  5%,  10%,  15%,  20%,  25%,  33^%. 
Losses  in  Quality. — Thirty-two  cases  are  reported  in  losses  in  quality  due  to 
lack  of  help.     These  summarize  as: 

Fruit 

5  cases,  overripe  when  picked — amounts  not  stated. 

2  cases,  4  tons  peaches. 
1    case,     no  spraying. 

1   case,     10%  wine  grapes. 

1   case,     10%  peaches. 

1   case,     5-10%  of  table  grapes. 

Hay 

Several  cases,  alfalfa  too  mature. 

1    case,  1   cutting  alfalfa — acreage  not  stated. 

1    case,  3  cuttings  from  80  acres  alfalfa. 

1    case,  1/3  of  2  cuttings  from  20  acres  alfalfa. 

1   case,  $2000  alfalfa  hay. 

1  case,  30  tons  alfalfa. 

2  cases,  220  acres  alfalfa — amount  not  stated. 
1   case,  $350  from  50  acres  alfalfa. 

1  case,     $400  on  80  tons  alfalfa. 
1  case,     50%  alfalfa. 

Grain 
1  case,     1/3  on  50  acres  barley. 

Field  Crops 

1  case,     10%  tomatoes — acreage  not  stated. 

2  cases,     $300  beans. 

1  case,     100  acres  onions  reduced  in  quality — amount  not  stated. 

Miscellaneous 

1  case,     "some  loss" — no  data  given. 

2  cases,  with  neither  crop  nor  acreage  stated,  15%-30%.    ■ 

Reports  from  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors 
These  reports  cover  twelve  counties  where  farm  advisers  were  not  available, 

representing  an  acreage  of  over  500,000  acres  devoted  principally  to  fruit,  grain, 

general   farming,  alfalfa,  hay,  beets,   seeds,  vegetables,   beans,  potatoes  and   a 

few  special  crops. 

Losses  in  Acreage. — Only  in  one  instance  is  any  loss  in  acreage  reported,  and 

that  one  does  not  state  either  acreage  or  amount. 


47 

Losses  in  Quantity. — Six  of  the  twelve  agents  report  no  losses  in  quantity 
for  their  counties,  two  do  not  otter  any  statement,  while  the  total  losses  of  the 
other  four  comprise: 

1  case,  ' '  very  small. ' ' 

1  case,  "some  in  grapes." 

1  case,  50  tons  dried  apricots  (ascribed  to  low  wage  scale). 

1  case,  10-25%  in  grapes  and  apples. 

Losses  in  Quality. — Only  two  reports  convey  any  items  of  loss  in  this  respect, 
i.e.,  one  case — ' ' mucn  inferior  quality  in  apricots";  the  other,  first  crop  alfalfa 
suftered;  no  details  are  given. 

Eeports  from  Private  Firms 

Seventy-three  firms,  from  a  total  of  150  asked  to  report,  gave  their  find- 
ings based  on  the  1917  season.  Their  holdings,  when  stated,  represented  a 
total  of  348,566  acres,  ranging  in  size  from  23  to  35,000 — an  average  of  5622 
acres.     These  73  operators  employ  a  total,  roughly  estimated,  of  4592  laborers. 

Loss  in  Acreage. — Of  the  73  firms,  16  did  not  present  any  report  whatever 
concerning  losses  in  acreage,  while  46  reported  no  loss.  Of  the  11  reporting 
losses  in  acreage  the  totals  amount  to  8773  acres,  from  a  total  of  7  cases,  to 
$120,000  in  two  additional  cases,  and  two  reduced  sugar  beet  acreages  in  two 
additional  cases,  amount  not  being  stated.  Crops  involved,  where  stated, 
besides  sugar  beets,  are  rice,  corn,  beans,  tomatoes,  and  potatoes,  all  war 
essentials. 

Losses  in  Quantity. — Of  the  firms  reporting,  26  indicated  loss  in  quantity,  31 
stating  that  no  losses  in  quantity  had  occurred. 

Losses  range  from  "very  small"  to  one  firm  reporting  a  loss  of  $205,000. 

Summed  up,  the  total  losses  of  the  73  firms  amount  to: 

Cash  losses,  6  cases,  estimated  at  $237,258. 
Sugar  beet  acreage — 2  cases — 6800  tons. 
%  losses,  7  cases,  estimated  at  from  10%  to  60%. 
1  case  of  pears,  10,000  boxes. 

1  case  of  beans,  1000  sacks. 

2  cases  of  alfalfa  hay,  25,050  tons. 

1  case  of  cuttings  of  alfalfa,  2  cuttings  on  1000  acres. 

1  case,  loss  of  pigs  because  of  insufficient  help  to   care  for  sows  when 

farrowing. 
1  case,  "land  not  properly  worked." 
1  case,  fresh  fruit,  56  tons. 
1  case,  raisins,  3  tons. 

Losses  in  Quality. — Eighteen  firms  report  loss  in  quality,  37  firms  report  no 
loss. 

In  seven  cases  reports  show  a  reduction  in  quality  of  5%  to  66%%  on  fruits, 
corn,  silage,  bulbs,  and  tomatoes. 

One  thousand  three  hundred  boxes  of  pears  and  30  tons  of  peaches  are 
reported  in  another  instance. 

Four  reports  state  a  loss  in  quality  estimated  in  money  at  $13,000. 

Two  reports  show  a  loss  in  quality  on  11,000  tons  of  alfalfa. 

Ten  thousand  boxes  of  pears  are  reported  as  having  lost  in  quality. 


48 


DETAILS  OF  INQUIRY  INTO  LOSSES  DUE  TO  LABOR  CONDITIONS 

OF  1917 

To  indicate  the  detail  of  this  inquiry  tabulated  data  is  presented  in  full 
covering  the  various  investigations  into  losses  resulting  from  1917  labor  con- 
ditions. 


Details  of  1917  Crop  Losses  Due  to  Insufficient  or  Inefficient  Help  as 
Reported  at  Farm  Center  Meetings 


County  Center 

Fresno Raisin 

Selma 

Kerman 

Reedley 
Fowler 

Parlier 


Acreage 
decrease 

None 

None 

None 

None 
None 

None 


Loss  in  quantity 
None 
1000    lug    boxes    peaches, 

shortage  of  trays 
2-3  tons  dried  fruit.worth 

$140  ton 
None 
2  tons  dried  peaches 

1  Vz    tons    dried    peaches  ; 
50  tons  green 


Loss  in  quality 
None. 
None. 

Fruit  not  hauled  at  proper 
time;   15%  loss. 

None. 

Some  sunburned ;  not  tak- 
en care  of  soon  enough. 

Some  loss;  no  definite  fig- 
ures could  be  given. 


Sanger 

None 

2  tons  dried  peaches 

None. 

Glenn 

.....Bayliss 

None 

None 

None. 

Ord 

20  A. 

grain 

7  A.  alfalfa,    1  cutting 

None. 

sorghum 

Larkin 

None 

None 

1  cutting  alfalfa  deterior- 
ated, due  to  slowness  in 
moving. 

Orland 

None 

None 

None. 

Humboldt.... 

.....Loleta 

None 

]0%  in  grain 

None. 

Bayside 

Nono 

None 

None. 

Areata 

None 

None 

30%  loss  account  lack  of 
weeders  and  care  of 
crop. 

Ferndale 

None 

None 

None. 

iFortuna 

None 

Three  report  33% 

None. 

Shively 

None 

Gribble  Bros,  loss  25% 

Tomatoes,  loss  10%. 

Imperial 

Verde 

None 

5%  loss  of  harvest  through 
lack  of  labor 

None. 

Eucalyptus 

None 

None 

None. 

Meloland 

None 

None 

None. 

Mesquite    Lake 

None 

None 

None. 

Westmoreland 

None 

About   10% 

None. 

Calipatria 

About 

5% 

About   15% 

None. 

Magnolia 

About 

15% 

About  20% 

None. 

Mt.    Signal 

None 

Cannot     get     cotton     har- 
vested;  if  rain  or  mist 
comes  will  lose  V2  crop. 

None. 

McCabe 

None 

None 

None. 

Seeley 

None 

None 

None. 

South   Fern 

None 

None 

None. 

Kern 

....  Kern  Delta 

None 

40   A.   alfalfa,    3   cuttings, 
loss  $300 

80  A.  alfalfa,  3  cuttings 
sold  as  grazing,  $160; 
loo  ripe. 

Edison-Fairfax 

5   A.   « 

;orn 

Grapes,  $200;  not  able  to 
get  labor  to  irrigate 

None. 

Rio    Bravo 

None 

1    cutting    alfalfa,    45    A., 
$450;  1  cutting  alfalfa, 
20  A.,  $200 

%  of  2  cuttings  alfalfa. 
20  A.,  $133;  30  tons 
alfalfa  laying  in  shock, 
$30. 

49 


Details  of  1917  Crop  Losses  Due  to  Insufficient  or  Inefficient  Help  as 
Reported  at  Farm  Center  Meetings — (Continued) 


County 
Kern 


Center 

Acreage 
decrease 

Loss  in  quantity 

Delano 

20  A.  beans. 

50    tons    hay    short;    laid 

$700 

too  long  in  fields,  $500 

20    A.    corn, 

$600 

Wasco 

None 

22    A.   corn,   $640;    20   A. 
alfalfa 

Tehaehapi 

None 

None 

Rosedale 


None 


!0    tons    hay,    $160;    loss 
on  harvest  hands,  $420 


Loss  in  quality 
1  ton  peaches,  $60. 


50  A.  alfalfa,  $6-$7  per  A. 

Hay  discolored  owing  to 
lack  of  labor  to  get  in 
soon  enough;  80  tons 
at  $5,  $400. 

None. 


Madera. 


Merced. 


Napa. 


Nevada. 


Arvin 

None 

None 

None. 

Pond 

10    A.    corn, 

110   A.   alfalfa,    1   cutting 

None. 

$200;  5  A. 

lost    acount    not    being 

potatoes, 

able  to  irrigate,    $990 

$250 

Dairyland 

None 

None ;   favorable  season 

None. 

Alpha 

20  A. 

None;   favorable  season 

None. 

Fairmead 

None 

None 

None. 

El  Nido 

None 

None 

None. 

Le   Grand 

None 

1   crop   alfalfa  on   20   A. 

20  A.  alfalfa  had  to  be 
left  few  days  too  long. 

Dos  Palos 

None 

None 

None. 

Cottonwood 

3  0  A.  corn 

Miller  &  Lux  reports  loss 
several    hundred    acres 
alfalfa 

200  A.  alfalfa  too  ripe. 

Planada 

400  A. beans 

10  A.  peaches;  too  late 

Peaches  too  ripe. 

Delhi 

None 

None 

3   tons  peaches  too  ripe. 

Amsterdam 

None 

1   crop  alfalfa  lost,   30  A. 

Alfalfa  too  mature. 

Stevenson 

None 

None 

None. 

Irwin 

50  A.  beans 

None 

None. 

Winton 

None 

None 

None. 

Livingston 

None 

None 

None. 

Coombsville 

None 

None 

None. 

Soda   Canyon 

None 

None 

None. 

Calistoga 

None 

None 

None. 

Spring  Valley 

None 

None 

None. 

Chiles  Valley 

None 

None 

1  case  grapes  too  ripe. 

Carnero 

None 

None 

Shortage  of  fruit  trays 
and  cutters  for  pears. 

Limekiln 

None 

Sheep  man  could  not  shear 
sheep    at    proper   time ; 
lost    something    on    fu- 
ture clip 

None. 

Gold   Flat 

None 

50  boxes  pears 

Beans,  $200;  too  ripe 
when    picked,    rejected. 

Clear  Creek 

None 

Hundreds  of  tiers  of  wood 
uncut    for   which   there 
is  sale 

None. 

Chicago    Park 

None 

None 

None. 

Penn  Vallev 

None 

200  boxes  grapes 

None. 

Indian    Flat 

None 

700     cords     wood     uncut 
which  were  planned  for 

Failed  to   spray  trees. 

Forest   Springs 

None 

None 

None. 

Peardale 

None 

None 

None. 

P>irohvillp 

None 

None 

None. 

50 


Details  of  1917  Crop 
Reported 

County  Center 

Placer Mt.  Vernon 

Loomis 

Mt.  Pleasant 

Allen 

Sheridan 

Gold  Hill 

Weimar 
Riverside Corona 

Elsinore 

Perris 

Banning 
Nuevo 
Fruitvale 
Jurupa 
Little  Lake 


Arlington 
Cochella 


Losses  Due  to  Insufficient  or  Inefficient  Help  as 
at  Farm  Center  Meetings — (Continued) 


Sacramento Elverta 

Elk    Grove 


Arcade 


Gait 


Acreage 

decrease  Loss  in  quantity 

None  None 

None  None 

None  None 

None  None 

None  None 

None  None 

None  None 

None  None 

1  case  reported  where  corn  could  not  be 

planted.  20-25   tons    fruK   dropping. 


None 

None 
None 
None 

None 
None 


1  case 

None 


None 
None 


Nont 


Non( 


Rio  Linda 

None 

Consumne 

None 

Fairoaks 

None 

San  Joaquin. 

...Escalon 

None 

Acampo 

None 

Thornton 

None 

Bellota 

None 

Lockeford 

None 

Ripon 

None 

MJanteca 

None 

Linden 

None 

Farmington 

None 

San  Bernar- 

Fontana 

None 

dino 

Highlands 

None 

Chino 

None 

Daggett 

None 

San    Bernardino 

None 

Considerable  loss ;  shat- 
tering of  grain 

None 

None 

None 

None 

One  man  had  loss  due  to 
lack  of  labor  when  har- 
vesting fruit 

Unable  plant  corn 

None 


None 

%  alfalfa  on  15  A. 


None 


15%  grapes;  20%  alfalfa 
lost  on  cutting 


Loss  in  quality 
None. 
None. 
None. 
None. 
None. 
None. 
None. 

Some   apricots  overripe. 
Overripe  fruit;  losses  not 

greater  than  usual. 
Several    cases    alfalfa    too 

ripe  before  could  be  cut. 
None. 
None. 
None. 
None. 
None. 


None. 

100  A.  onions  delayed  in 
planting;  bring  lower 
price  than  if  planted 
earlier.  $2000  lost  due 
to  lack  of  labor  to  har- 
vest alfalfa  at  proper 
time. 

None. 

10%  grapes  dried  on 
vines. 

10%  loss  of  peaches  due 
to  labor  and  shortage 
of  cars. 

50%  alfalfa  stayed  too 
long  in  field,  both  be- 
fore and   after  cutting. 


None 

None. 

None 

None. 

None 

Slight  loss  in  almonds. 

None 

None. 

None 

None. 

None 

None. 

One    farmer    reported    5— 

None. 

10%  loss  in  cultivation 

$5000  loss  because  alfalfa 

5-10%    table   grapes   sold 

could  not  be  handled  at 

for  wine;   unable  to  be 

proper  time 

picked  soon  enough. 

None 

None. 

10%  tomatoes  spoiled 

None. 

40  tons  of  alfalfa 

None. 

Slight    loss,     due     trouble 

None. 

getting  cars 

None 

None. 

None 

None. 

None 

None. 

None 

None. 

Considerable  loss  through 

None. 

inability  to  get  men  to 

thin     sugar     beets      at 

proper   time 

51 


Details  op  1917  Crop 
Eeported 

County  Center 

Lucerne 

San  Diego Potrero 

Alpine 
Jamue 
Jamecha 

Del  Mar 


Encinitos 

Bonsall 

Fallbrook 

Escondido 

Poway 

Lakeside 

Ptamona 
Julian 


Losses  Due  to  Insufficient  or  Inefficient  Help  as 
at  Farm  Center  Meetings — (Continued) 


Acreage 
decrease 


None 
None 
None 
None 

None 

None 


None 
None 
None 

None 
None 

None 
None 


Solano 

....Solano 

None 

Stanislaus... 

— Fairview 

None 

Glaus 

None 

Patterson 

None 

Jennings 

None 

Keyes 

None 

Den  air 

None 

Hughson 

None 

Mt.   View 

None 

Yolo 

....Clarksburg 

None 

West  Sacramento 

None 

Madison 

None 

Zamora 

None 

Winters 

None 

Dunnigan 
Willow  Oak 


None 
None 


Loss  in  quantity 

None 

None 

None 

None 

Some  shattering  of  grain  ; 
impossible  estimate  loss 

Unable  to  get.  but  one 
bean-cutter;  shortage 
one  cutter;  loss  here 

None 

None 

None 

None 

8-10  tons  dried  peaches 

15  A.  of  potatoes;  unable 
to  dig  right 

None 

2500  boxes  apples,  parti- 
ally due  labor  shortage. 
Hard  to  get  labor  for 
short  period  of  apple 
harvest 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

Loss  of  10%  of  $250,000 
dried  fruit  crop  esti- 
mated, and  15%  of 
green  fruit  crop,  also 
valued   at   $250,000 

None 

None 


Loss  in  quality 
None. 
None. 
None. 
None. 
None. 

Beans  shelled  out  in  field 
$100  bean   loss. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None.      *  See    footnote. 

Vo  of  50  A.  of  barley. 

None. 

None. 
None. 


None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

None. 

Considerable  fruit  ovei 
mature;  included  i: 
previous  estimate. 


None. 
None. 


*  Schulte  had  tomato  plants  and  land.  In  Julv  offered  use  of  land,  plants  and  water  for 
half:  no  takers.  G.  S.  Bowler  had  35  A.  sugar  beets  thinned  but  was  four  men  short. 
Mr.  Oaks  had  plants  for  40  A.  tomatoes,   15  A.  cabbages;   no  help,  no  planting. 


52 


Details  of  Losses  Due  to  Shortage  of  Labor  as  Eeported  by  County  Farm 
Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors 


County 

Loss  in 

acreage 

Loss  in  quantity 

Loss  in  quality 

Amador 

None 

None 

None 

Del   Norte 

None 

None 

None 

El  Dorado 

None 

Very   small 

None 

Mendocino 

Some  in 

beans 

Some   in   grapes 

None 

Plumas 

None 

San  Benito 

50  t.  dried  apricots 

Much  inferior  quality  in 
apricots 

San  Luis   Obispo 

None 

None 

None 

Santa    Cruz 

None 

Sierra 

None 

None 

None 

Siskiyou 

None 

None 

None 

Sonoma 

None 

10-25%     in    grapes    and 
apples 

None 

Tulare 

None 

None 

First   crop   alfalfa   suffer 

Details  of  Losses  Due  to  Shortage  of  Labor  as  Reported  by  Private  Firms 


No. 

l 

2 
3 

4 


Loss  in  acreage 


Could  have  signed  up 
more  acreage  had  la- 
bor been   in  sight. 

13  A.  not  planted; 
couldn't  hire  tractor 
or  teams  time. 


7  20   A. 

8  None 


9      None 
10      None 


None 
80   A. 


13      40    A. 


15 

None 

16 

None 

17 

None 

18 

None 

Loss  in  quantity 
No  loss 

No  loss 

33}£%  of  loss  of  6692  tons  beets. 


35  tons  pears  rotted;  delav  in 
transportation.  11  tons  pears 
not  cut  due  to  lack  labor ;  10 
tons  peaches  rotted  on  ground 

$1000-$2000 

Part  of  fifth  cutting  of  alfalfa. 
Several  litters  of  pigs  from 
coyotes ;  couldn't  look  after 
them   properly   farrowing   time 

None 

Trouble  getting  box  shook  has 
extended  green  fruit  season, 
and  will  extend  raisin  season. 
Packing  houses  at  Fresno  run- 
ning 50%  capacity  due  lack 
of  help  and  lateness  delivery 
shook  boxes 

None 

Land  not  properly  worked  due  to 
scarcity  of  labor 

10%  on  potato  crop;  50%  on 
Holland  bulb  crop 

No  loss 

20%  tomatoes 

25  A.  corn  overrun  with  weeds; 

got  4  tons  per  acre  instead  of 

10  tons. 
20%    grape    crop    by    shrinkage, 

due  to  shortage  labor 


Loss  in  quality 
No  loss. 
5-10%. 

15%  in  weight  on  green  prunes 
662^%    of   loss,    or    13,383    tons 

1338  A. 


1300  boxes  pears  and  30  tons 
dried  peaches ;  did  not  develop. 
Couldn't  plow  soon  enough  ac- 
count breaking  in  new  man  at 
pumphouse. 

$1000-$2000. 

None. 


None. 

None. 


None. 

Only  three-quarters   acreage  was 

properly  worked. 
10%    on    corn    silage:     40%    on 

Holland  bulb  crop. 

No  loss. 

20%   tomatoes. 


53 


Details  of  Losses  Due  to  Shortage  of  Labor  as  Reported  by  Private  Firms- 


.    1 

(Continued) 

No. 

Loss 

in 

acreage 

Loss  in  quantity 

Loss  in  quality 

19 

None 

None 

None. 

20 

None 

None 

None. 

21 

None 

None 

None. 

22 

None 

10,000   boxes  pears 

10,000  boxes  pears  as  seconds. 

23 

None 

None 

None. 

24 

None 

Fair     weather     alon 
large  losses 

ie     pr 

evented 

None. 

25 

None 

None 

None. 

26 

None 

None 

None. 

27 

None 

$258 

$1000. 

28 

None 

29 

None 

None 

None. 

30 

None 

None 

None. 

31 

None 

None 

None. 

32 

None 

1000    sacks    beans; 
labor    to    put    in 

not 
secor 

enough 
id    crop 

None. 

promptly  and  well 

33 

None 

5%  fruit  dropping 

None. 

34 

20  A.     i 

Couldn't 

get  hay 

None. 

baled 

in 

time 

to 

plant 

beans, 

35 

None 

None 

None. 

36 

25,000    tons    alfalfa 

lost, 

due   to 

11,000  tons  of  alfalfa  fed   when 

lack  of  labor   to 

irrigate  land 

other  feed  was  available. 

which  stood  idle  < 

or  was  fed 

37 

38 

Very   small 

Very  small. 

40 

41 
42 
43 
44 

45 


2500    A.    rice, 
corn 


2500    A. 


$400-$500.         Neighbors    report 
loss  of  half  of  tomato  crop 


Small 

Small,    owing  to  long,    favorable, 
dry  season 


Small. 
Small. 


47 


48 

600  A.     Couldn't  secure 

Fresno    scraper    men. 

49 

None 

50 

None 

51 

3000  A.     Preparing  bean 

land     $15,000     gross. 

800  A.  beets,  $50,000 

gross.    Interest  in  tax 

loss,     $50,000.       Pre- 

paring    tomato     land, 

$5000. 

52 

None 

53 

54 

None 

55 

None 

56 

None 

57 

None 

58 

None 

No  losses  so  far  but  liable  to  be 
as  labor  very  short 


50  tons  alfalfa;  no  irrigators 

None 

Defection    in    bean    seed,    $4000 

1    cutting   alfalfa   on    1200    A. 

$2500 


None 

Beans,  4000  A.,  $120,000  gross; 

corn,   4000  A.,   $60,000  gross; 

potatoes,   beets,    etc.,    $25,000 
None 
None 

2  crops  alfalfa  on   1000  A. 
3314%  loss  on  born,  beans,  beets 
None 


None. 
None. 
160  A.  potatoes,  $10,000. 


None. 

Covered   under  quantity. 


None. 
None. 
Corn,  beets,  beam 


None. 


54 


Details  oe  Losses  Due  to  Shortage  of  Labor  as  Reported  by  Private  Firms- 


(Continued) 

No. 

Loss 

in  aci 

•eage 

Loss  in  quantity 

Loss  in  quality 

59 

Reduced 

beet 

average. 

Partial  loss   17  A.   beets 

100  tons  overmature  alfalfa  hay 

60 

None 

None 

None. 

61 

None 

None 

None. 

62 

None 

Small  loss  of  beans  and 

citrus 

Citrus,   some  overripe. 

63 

None 

None 

None. 

64 

None 

None 

None. 

65 

None 

None 

None. 

66 

None 

None 

None. 

67 

None 

3   tons   raisins;    lack  of 
curing 

labor   in 

Slightly  reduced. 

68 

None 

None 

None. 

69 

None 

None 

None. 

70 

None 

None 

None. 

71 

None 

$1000  fruit  loss 

$500. 

72 

None 

20%   grapes 

10%   prunes. 

73 

None 

None 

None. 

Additional  Evidences  of  Losses. — Field  observations  during  the  season  indicated 
the  occurrence  of  losses  due  to  lack  of  sufficient  labor.  In  several  instances 
sugar  beet  fields  suffered  from  serious  weed  growth,  due  to  lack  of  help  to 
cultivate  and  hoe.  During  the  harvest  season,  because  of  unskilled  toppers,  an 
appreciable  loss  resulted  from  improperly  topped  beets,  conservatively  estimated 
at  from  10  to  15  per  cent  of  the  crop.  A  number  of  Imperial  Valley  cotton 
fields  were  partly  abandoned  because  of  lack  of  men  to  hoe  and  thin  out  the 
crop.  In  the  deltas  weed  growth  seriously  interfered  with  development  of  the 
bean  crop  in  certain  fields,  and  in  at  least  one  case  caused  the  abandonment 
of  the  crop.  Lack  of  help  in  certain  hay  fields  tended  to  delay  planting  of 
summer  crops,  resulting  in  a  lowered  quality  of  the  hay  and  a  reduced  output. 
Due  to  lack  of  men  to  pick  up  sacks,  several  ranchers  had  to  quit  harvesting 
and  use  the  machine  crews  to  clear  the  field  of  sacks.  In  at  least  one  case  the 
quantity  and  quality  of  the  asparagus  output  was  seriously  reduced.  Inability 
to  keep  up  hay  crews  resulted  in  a  decreased  output  of  baled  straw.  Loss  of 
fruit  due  to  inability  to  get  experienced  pickers  and  cutters  occurred  in  a 
number  of  instances.  The  wood  output  of  one  ranch  alone  was  reduced  50  per 
cent  because  of  lack  of  wood  choppers. 

On  the  other  hand  the  evidence  proved  a  far  less  loss  than  early  spring  esti- 
mates indicated.  Several  investigations  into  reported  shortages  of  labor  failed 
to  substantiate  the  facts  as  originally  given. 

At  a  meeting  held  November  17  in  Fresno  by  eight  County  Councils  of 
Defense  of  San  Joaquin  Valley  the  following  developed: 

Stanislaus  County — No  losses.     No  worry  about  meeting  labor  another  year. 

Merced  County — No  losses,  but  production  not  up  to  maximum;  labor  short. 

Madera  County — A  grain  county,  no  serious  difficulty  in  getting  men  nor 
nor  any  great  drawbacks  to  production. 

Fresno  County — Not  especially  short  of  labor  but  quality  not  as  good. 

Kings  County — Paper  read  showing  shortage,  statements  challenged  by 
other  delegates  from  same  county. 

Tulare  County — No  shortage  this  season. 

Kern  County — No  remarkable  examples  of  losses. 

San  Joaquin — (No  representative  present.) 


Survey  by  Commission  of  Immigration  and  Housing. — When  the  beet  sugar 
companies  of  southern  California  were  ready  to  release  about  1700  imported 
Mexicans  for  cotton  picking  in  Imperial  Valley,  in  answer  to  a  demand  for 
5000  men,  the  Commission  of  Immigration  and  Housing  through  its  field  men 
made  a  farm  to  farm  canvass  to  ascertain  the  actual  needs.  As  a  result  of 
covering  216  farms,  or  over  half  the  cotton  acreage  of  the  American  side, 
a  need  was  found  for  1000  men  instead  of  5000  as  originally  claimed,  560  of 
which  the  farmers  expected  to  obtain  locally  without  any  difficulty. 

On  December  13,  with  cotton  still  being  picked,  there  were  numbers  of  idle 
men  unable  to  secure  employment  at  various  Imperial  Valley  towns,  indicating 
a  surplus  of  help. 


INDICATIONS  OF  INCREASING  LABOR  SHORTAGE  RESULTING  FROM 
A  COMPARISON  OF  1917  WITH  1916 

The  indications  used  as  a  measure  of  an  increasing  shortage  are: 

(a)  Payment  of  higher  wages. 

(b)  Providing  of  better  living  conditions. 

(c)  Efficiency  of  labor. 

An  investigation  of  these  factors  was  made  a  part  of  the  inquiry  described 
on  pages  38  to  44.  Details  are  omitted  for  lack  of  space,  but  are  on  file  and 
available  in  this  office. 

In  general  the  records  indicate  a  marked  increase  in  wages,  although  in 
some  cases  wages  are  still  stationary.  Where  increases  have  taken  place  a 
uniform  average  of  about  40  per  cent  has  occurred. 

Very  little  has  been  done  to  improve  housing  or  boarding  conditions. 

A  very  few  reports  show  a  slight  readjustment  of  hours. 

Much  complaint  of  reduced  efficiency  occurrs,  particularly  among  the  large 
employers.  Of  the  farm  centers  about  one-half  report  the  same  efficiency  during 
1917  as  in  1916,  while  the  remaining  half,  with  a  few  exceptions,  report  reduced 
efficiency.  Of  the  large  employers  the  great  majority  report  reduced  efficiency. 
When  stated  in  percentages,  1917  efficiency  over  1916  is  rated  at  about  75  per 
cent  by  those  offering  evidence  of  a  reduction  in  capacity. 

Whenever  opinions  are  given,  farmers  are  quite  uniform  in  ascribing  the 
cause  to  drink,  too  much  money,  and  too  great  ease  in  getting  jobs,  which  com- 
bine to  make  for  independence;  and  the  greater  use  of  inexperienced  help. 

Farm  Center  Reports 

Wages. — Of  the  132  Farm  Centers  reporting,  eighty  centers  present  data 
covering  percentage  increase  in  wages  during  1917  over  1916.  The  increase 
ranges  from  5  to  100  per  cent.  The  average  increase  is  40  per  cent,  leaving  out 
eighteen  cases  where  1916  wages  are  not  stated. 

Housing. — The  providing  of  better  housing  is  reported  in  only  five  instances. 

Board. — Providing  of  better  board  occurred  in  but  one  case. 

Efficiency. — Of  the  132  farm  center  meetings  reporting  it  is  significant  that 
only  one  reports  better  efficiency  of  labor  in  1917  over  1916,  while  sixty  report 
the  same  efficiency,  and  fifty-three  report  a  reduced  efficiency,  which,  in  the 


56 

fourteen  cases  where  figures  are  given,  ranges  from  an  estimated  efficiency  of 
00  per  cent  to  but  60  per  cent,  or  a  general  average  efficiency  of  75  per  cent 
when  compared  with  1916. 

Of  the  sixty  centers  reporting  the  same  efficiency  the  principal  counties 
reporting  this  condition  are  Fresno,  Glenn,  Madera,  Napa,  Nevada,  Placer, 
Solano,  and  Yolo. 

Counties  prominent  in  reporting  less  efficiency  are  Humboldt,  Imperial, 
Kern,  Merced,  Riverside,  San  Joaquin,  and  San  Diego. 

Reports  from  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors 

Wages. — Of  ten  county  agents  reporting  on  this  matter  nine  indicated  that 
wage  increases  had  occurred  in  1917  over  1916  ranging  from  small  to  100  per 
cent,  or  a  general  average,  as  near  as  can  be  given,  of  40  per  cent 

Living. — One  county  agent  reports  improvement  in  housing  and  board;  the 
others  do  not  report  on  this  part  or  else  state  "no  change"  or  "already  satis- 
factory. ' ' 

Efficiency. — Of  the  nine  reports  received  covering  the  efficiency  of  farm  labor, 
two  find  no  difference,  five  report  a  reduced  efficiency,  one  finds  them  more 
efficient  but  more  discontented,  while  one  finds  floating  labor  more  independent. 

Reasons  advanced  for  the  less  efficiency  are  drink,  higher  wages  apparently 
paid  in  other  industries,  and  loss  of  best  men  by  military  draft. 

Reports  from  Private  Firms 

A  description  showing  the  conduct  of  this  investigation  is  given  on  pages 
38  to  44.  Details  are  omitted  here  but  are  on  file,  where  they  can  be  consulted 
by  anyone  wishing  to  see  them. 

Wages. — Of  the  seventy-three  private  firms  reporting,  fifty-nine  report  paying 
increased  wages  1917  over  the  corresponding  period  of  1916,  ranging,  when 
stated  in.  percentages,  from  10  to  100  per  cent,  or  a  general  average  of  40  per 
cent,  which  corresponds  with  the  increases  noted  in  the  preceding  reports. 

Better  Board. — Four  firms  report  better  board. 

Better  Housing. — Four  firms  report  better  housing. 

Beadjustment  of  Hours. — Seven  firms  report  shorter  hours. 

Efficiency. — Thirty-seven  firms  report  a  reduction  in  efficiency  of  labor  rang- 
ing, when  stated  in  percentages,  from  20  to  66%  per  cent,  or  a  rough  average 
of  35  per  cent.  Nine  firms  complain  of  labor  but  do  not  make  specific  state- 
ments. Seven  firms  report  no  change  in  efficiency.  Three  reports  credit  labor 
with  greater  efficiency,  one  primarily  to  institution  of  piecework  basis. 


SEARCHING  OUT  SUPPLIES  OF  LABOR 

Efforts  to  develop  supplies  of  labor  by  various  commercial  firms  and  farmers ' 
organizations  have  brought  about  some  interesting  results. 

Work  of  the  Beet  Sugar  Companies. — By  far  the  best  organized  and  executed 
plan  having  to  do  with  the  importation  of  labor  is  that  put  in  operation  by  the 
six  southern  California  beet  sugar  companies.  Mexicans,  the  principal  labor 
available  for  southern  California  beet  fields,  were  extremely  difficult  to  get, 
especially  as  what  labor  there  was  combined  in  an  attempt  to  hold  up  wages. 
Conditions  were  so  bad  in  August,  when  the  harvest  of  the  crop  began,  that 


57 

the  southern  California  sugar  companies  combined  to  import  Mexicans  from 
over  the  border  under  special  agreement  with  the  United  States  Department  of 
Labor. 

A  conservative  estimate  indicates  that  1700  Mexicans  have  been  imported 
from  Eagles  Pass,  El  Paso,  Douglas,  and  Nogales,  including  perhaps  three 
hundred  imported  independently  by  the  sugar  companies  north  of  Tehachapi. 
The  sugar  companies'  organization  paid  these  men  because  of  its  responsibility 
under  the  contract,  but  collected  from  the  growers  what  each  man  earned. 
Most  of  these  men  came  into  California  very  needy  and  many  of  them  appeared 
to  have  been  insufficiently  fed.  The  number  along  the  border  ready  to  come 
into  the  states  is  said  to  be  almost  unlimited,  this  being  especially  true  of  the 
state  of  Chihuahua. 

The  cost  of  importation  was  high,  especially  if  a  man  worked  his  time  out 
and  thus  earned  free  round-trip  transportation.  In  the  latter  case  it  averaged 
over  $60  a  head.  No  cash  was  paid  until  the  laborer  had  worked  out  his 
passage,  though  shoes,  clothing,  money  orders  to  Mexico,  etc.,  were  furnished 
as  needed  and  charged  to  the  laborer's  account.  Some  trouble  has  been  en- 
countered by  those  interested  in  the  importation  of  Mexicans  to  make  the 
necessary  arrangements  on  the  Mexican  side.  The  importers  of  these  men  found 
it  necessary  to  place  guards  in  the  railroad  coaches  bringing  these  men  to 
El  Paso  and  elsewhere,  in  order  to  prevent  desertions  which  might  cancel  the 
entire  movement. 

Since  the  form  of  agreement  tends  to  indicate  the  attitude  of  the  United 
States  Department  of  Labor,  and  prescribes  the  limitations  of  importation,  a 
copy  is  herewith  presented  in  full,  since  it  may  prove  valuable  to  any  who  con- 
template importation  of  labor  from  this  source  or  under  similar  auspices. 

This  Agreement,  made  by  the  undersigned  sugar  manufacturing  companies 
optrating  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State  of  California,  with  the  United 
States  of  America,  WITNESSETH : 

That  whereas,  the  undersigned  desire  to  import  Mexicans  from  the  Eepublic 
of  Mexico,  for  employment  in  the  sugar-beet  fields  of  southern  California 
tributary  to  the  factories  of  the  undersigned,  and  for  no  other  purpose;  and 

Whereas,  the  undersigned  desire  to  conform  in  every  respect  with  the  regu- 
lations prescribed  in  connection  therewith  by  the  Government  of  the  United 
States. 

Now  therefore,  in  consideration  of  the  consent  of  the  United  States  of 
America  to  the  importation  of  such  Mexicans,  and  their  exemption  from  the 
operation  of  the  illiteracy,  head-tax  and  contract  labor  provisions  of  the  immi- 
gration act  of  February  loth,  1917,  the  undersigned  jointly  and  severally  under- 
take and  agree  with  the  United  States  of  America  that  any  laborers  imported 
from  Mexico  pursuant  to  said  plan  shall  be  employed  exclusively  in  agricul- 
tural pursuits;  that  none  but  healthy,  able-bodied  aliens  will  be  imported;  that 
transportation  shall  be  advanced  by  the  undersigned  for  each  alien  to  the  place 
of  his  employment;  that  two  unmounted  unretouched  photographs  shall  be  fur- 
nished as  to  each  alien;  that  unless  their  period  of  stay  in  the  United  States 
shall  be  extended  by  the  proper  authorities,  such  aliens  so  imported  will  be 
returned  to  the  border  and  delivered  to  the  immigration  officer  or  officers  at 
the  port  where  they  entered,  within  six  months  from  the  date  of  the  original 
entry;  that  if  necessary  the  undersigned  will  pay  the  cost  of  the  return  of  said 
aliens  to  such  port  of  entrv. 

That  as  soon  as  said  importation  begin  the  undersigned  will  establish  a 
bureau  or  department  and  operate  the  same  continuously  up  to  the  expiration 
of  the  period  during  which  such  aliens  are  entitled  to  remain  in  the  United 
States,  for  the  purpose  of  at  all  times  keeping  in  touch  with  such  aliens  and 
reporting  their  movements,  places  of  employment  and  names  of  employer  to  the 
proper  immigration  authorities;  that  monthly  reports  will  be  made  on  or  before 


58 

the  15th  of  each  month  by  such  bureau  or  department  to  the  officers  in  charge 
oi  the  immigration  service  at  the  port  or  ports  where  entry  is  affected,  showing 
by  identification  card  number  the  name  and  location,  and  character  of  employ- 
ment of  each  alien  on  the  last  day  of  the  preceding  month.  Said  reports  to  be 
in  duplicate. 

The  said  bureau  or  department  will  immediately  report  all  desertions  which 
may  occur  to  the  officers  in  charge  at  the  port  or  ports  of  entry,  and  to  the 
Inspector  in  charge  of  United  States  Immigration  Service,  Los  Angeles,  Calif., 
including  in  such  report  all  the  facts  in  connection  with  said  desertion,  so  far 
as  the  same  can  be  gathered  by  said  bureau  or  department,  and  all  the  infor- 
mation which  said  department  or  bureau  can  obtain  concerning  the  reason  for 
desertion,  the  location  of  the  aliens,  the  nature  of  his  subsequent  employment, 
if  any,  what  steps  were  taken  to  prevent  his  desertion,  and  what  steps  are  being- 
taken  to  effect  a  return  of  the  alien  to  his  work  or  to  the  port  of  entry;  that  the 
undersigned  will  use  every  reasonable  means  to  prevent  such  desertion  by 
insisting  upon  proper  housing  and  feeding  and  care  for  the  welfare  of  such 
aliens,  in  all  cases  where  such  aliens  do  not  elect  to  house  or  feed  themselves; 
that  they  will  see  that  all  aliens  imported  hereunder  are  paid  the  scale  of  wages 
prevailing  for  work  of  similar  character  to  that  in  which  they  are  engaged  in 
the  communitw  where  such  aliens  are  employed. 

That  they  will  promptly  report  such  aliens  as  fail  to  live  up  to  the  conditions 
of  their  admission,  to  the  nearest  immigration  officer;  that  they  will  endeavor 
by  every  proper  means,  at  their  own  expense,  if  necessary,  to  return  to  the  port 
of  entry  such  aliens  as  persist  in  engaging  in  pursuits  other  than  agricultural, 
and  where  such  removal  to  the  border  is  resisted,  that  they  will  present  the  facts 
to  the  nearest  immigration  officer  for  appropriate  action. 

In  case  of  transfer  of  laborers  from  one  place  or  employer  to  another,  the 
said  bureau  or  department  of  the  undersigned,  before  any  such  transfer  is  made, 
or  as  soon  thereafter  as  practicable,  will  fully  advise  the  proper  immigration 
officers  at  the  port  of  entry  of  the  change  made  or  contemplated,  in  order  that 
they  may  have  a  record  of  the  name  and  location  of  the  new  employer. 

That  all  aliens  imported  will  upon  entry  be  presented  to  the  immigration 
officer  for  proper  medical  and  civil  inspection,  as  well  as  registration;  and 

Generally,  the  undersigned  undertake  that  they  will  in  the  highest  good  faith, 
and  to  the  utmost  of  their  ability,  conform  to  all  regulations  and  requirements 
imposed  by  the  Government  of  the  United  States  in  this  connection. 

It  is  understood  that  the  aliens  to  be  imported  as  above  set  out  will  not, 
generally  speaking,  be  employed  directly  by  the  undersigned,  but  will  from  time 
to  time  be  employed  by  different  persons  in  the  territory  tributory  to.  the  said 
factories  of  the  undersigned,  for  the  purpose  of  harvesting,  caring  for  and 
delivering  sugar  beets  which  the  growers  are  under  contract  to  deliver  to  the 
undersigned;  and  it  is  further  understood  that  all  expense  of  importing  such 
aliens  and  of  conducting  the  department  or  bureau  for  reporting  concerning 
them,  and  all  other  expenses  in  this  connection,  except  the  actual  payment  of 
wages  to  the  laborer,  is  to  be  at  the  cost  of  the  undersigned,  and  not  of  the 
growers. 

That  the  bureau  or  department  established  by  the  undersigned,  as  herein- 
before provided,  will  at  all  times  during  the  term  for  which  said  aliens  are 
legally  entitled  to  be  retained  in  the  United  States,  constantly  keep  in  toucn 
with  said  aliens  and  their  employers,  from  time  to  time,  and  furnish  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  with  full  and  accurate  information  regarding  the 
employment  and  conditions  of  such  aliens. 

In   witness   whereof,   the   undersigned    have    caused   these   presents    to    be 

executed  by  their  proper  officers,  thereunto  duly  authorized,  this 

day  of ,  1917. 

Los  Almitos  Sugar  Company.  Hoily  Sugar  Company. 

By By 

American  Beet  Sugar  Company.  Santa  Ana  Sugar  Company. 

By By 

Anaheim  Sugar  Company.  Southern  California  Sugar  Company. 

By By 


59 


Obtaining  Help  from  Advertising 

Conflicting  evidence  concerning  obtaining  of  help  from  advertising  has  been 
obtained  the  past  season. 

Work  of  the  Valley  Fruit  Growers'  Association. — In  order  to  meet  the  antici- 
pated shortage  of  labor  in  the  Fresno  District,  particularly  in  raisin  grapes, 
the  Valley  Fruit  Growers'  Association  of  Fresno  opened  and  conducted  an 
employment  agency.  This  was  continued  until  August  23rd,  when  the  Public 
Employment  Bureaus  of  the  State  of  California,  fostered  in  its  work  by  the 
Valley  Association,  opened  an  office. 

As  a  result  of  its  activities  a  report  of  the  Valley  Fruit  Growers'  Association 
under  date  of  Semptember  19th,  states:  il  There  is  an  adequate  supply  of  labor 
to  meet  all  demands,  and  at  present  at  least  85%  of  the  raisin  crop  is  on  the 
trays."  On  September  21st,  Mr.  W.  Flanders  Setchel,  actively  engaged  in 
executive  duties  connected  with  the  association,  stated  that  he  thought  at 
least  90%  of  the  muscats  were  on  the  trays  and  that  50%  of  the  Thompson 
seedless  grapes  were  in  the  boxes  with  the  rest  of  the  crop  on  the  trays.  The 
only  reason  that  there  were  any  raisin  grapes  on  the  vines  was  because  the 
trays  were  being  used  for  peaches  and  not  because  of  a  shortage  of  labor. 

The  labor  need  was  met  by  wide  publicity  of  the  opportunities  which  existed 
in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  to  make  high  wages.  Through  the  agency  of  the 
Valley  Fruit  Growers'  Association,  advertisements  were  placed  in  the  local 
papers  and  in  large  cities  calling  attention  to  the  high  wages  that  could  be 
made  by  piece  work  in  comparison  to  those  being  made  in  town.  As  a  result 
the  association  was  flooded  with  inquiries  and  people  began  to  flock  in  from 
all  directions.  Many  families  came  by  automobile  and  camped  out.  The  work 
was  in  the  nature  of  recreation  to  many  people  and  paid  enough  to  more  than 
meet  the  expense  of  the  outing. 

Through  the  co-operation  of  the  Bureau  of  Indian  Affairs,  Department  of  the 
Interior,  an  order  was  issued  closing  the  schools  on  reservations  until  the  harvest 
season  was  over.  In  this  way  many  hundreds  of  Indian  children  were  secured. 
Many  more  Indian  adults  worked  in  the  harvest  this  year  than  ever  before,  as  is 
shown  by  Mr.  Setchel 's  report.  This  report  also  states  that  there  were  many 
Indians  in  Mendocino  County  and  Nevada  who  were  not  engaged.  It  was  con- 
sidered that  the  expense  of  transportation  was  too  great  to  permit  of  bringing  in 
these  workers. 

Japanese  labor  contractors  in  all  parts  of  the  state  were  visited  by  representa- 
tives of  the  association  and  extensive  advertising  in  the  Japanese  language  and  in 
Japanese  newspapers  was  carried  on.  As  a  result  more  Japanese  worked  in  the 
harvest  this  year  than  ever  before. 

Mexican  labor  came  in  large  numbers,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  Sanger, 
where  there  is  a  Mexican  colony. 

Hindus  came  from  contractors  at  Stockton,  returning  at  the  end  of  the  harvest. 

White  labor  was  the  solution  of  the  harvest  this  year,  according  to  Mr.  Setchel. 
Never  before  have  farmers  considered  white  labor  of  consequence  because  they 
had  in  mind  their  experience  with  the  hobo  element.  This  year  the  publicity 
concerning  what  could  be  made  by  piece  work  stimulated  white  labor  to  do 
work  formerly  done  by  the  orientals,  with  a  result  that  as  high  as  twelve,  thir- 
teen and  fourteen  dollars  per  day  was  made  for  a  period  extending  over  about 


60 

three  weeks.  In  the  past  this  kind  of  work  was  considered  by  white  men  to  be 
beneath  them.  They  preferred  straight  pay  as  teamsters  on  jobs  which  would 
not  cause  them  to  bend  their  backs  unnecessarily,  and  stood  by  while  the  orient- 
als working  in  the  harvest  made  three  or  four  times  as  much  by  piece  work. 
This  year  white  men  have  bent  their  backs  and  in  so  doing  have  given  the 
utmost  satisfaction.  Mr.  Setchel  was  very  optimistic  over  the  white  labor 
proposition  and  believes  that  it  was  due  to  white  labor  this  year  that  wages 
were  not  boosted  by  contractors  employing  foreign  labor. 

The  Valley  Fruit  Growers'  Association  is  planning  a  scheme  for  the  regis- 
tration of  laborers  in  the  season  of  1918,  for  the  purpose  of  simplifying  the 
supply  of  labor  for  the  ensuing  years.  This  plan  contemplates  the  registration 
of  employers  who  need  labor  for  1919.  Obviously  such  a  plan  might  well  be 
tried  on  a  larger  scale  all  over  the  state  during  the  coming  season. 

Finances  for  securing  of  labor  by  the  Valley  Fruit  Growers'  Association 
have  been  obtained  by  subscriptions  from  members  at  the  rate  of  five  cents  an 
acre. 

Work  at  Blytlie. — Cotton  growers  in  the  vicinity  of  Blythe,  anticipating 
trouble  in  securing  sufficient  pickers  to  care  for  the  crop,  early  instituted  an 
advertising  campaign  of  considerable  extent,  which  resulted  in  the  receipt  of 
twenty  to  thirty  letters  asking  as  to  the  possibility  of  employment. 

Most  of  these  inquirers  wanted  their  transportation  paid,  nevertheless  up 
to  September  12th  a  considerable  number  of  people  had  drifted  into  Palo  Verde 
Valley  for  the  season. 

Unfortunately,  the  first  of  the  campaign  resulted  in  requests  for  people  at 
least  two  weeks  in  advance  of  the  actual  ripening  of  the  crop;  hence  there  was 
considerable  discontent  on  the  part  of  the  arriving  pickers.  Some,  however, 
were  put  to  work  on  other  jobs  to  tide  them  over,  but  these  were  less  satisfac- 
tory to  them  than  cotton  picking.  As  a  result  of  the  campaign  sufficient  pick- 
ers were  obtained  so  that  when  notice  was  sent  to  Blythe  that  a  supply  of 
Mexicans  was  available  to  help  them  in  their  harvest,  they  replied  that  they 
had  sufficient  pickers. 

Worlc  in  Imperial  Valley. — Imperial  Valley  farmers  in  meeting  assembled 
June  30th,  agreed  to  tax  themselves  35  cents  per  bale  of  cotton  and  10  cents 
per  ton  of  grain  sorghum  produced  in  the  season  of  1917  to  provide  a  fund  to 
be  used  in  attempts  to  obtain  and  bring  in  labor  for  the  harvest  season.  A 
county  agent  was  appointed  and  an  active  campaign  instituted  to  bring  in 
Mexicans  and  Texas  families. 

Due  to  difficulty  in  arranging  for  the  collection  of  dues,  a  modification  of 
the  plan  had  to  be  introduced  later.  Figures  are  not  at  hand  showing  importa- 
tions. Because  of  the  shortness  of  its  crop  Texas  offered  the  logical  field  and 
families  were  imported  from  there  and  from  Oklahoma  for  the  Imperial  Valley 
cotton  picking  and  corn  harvesting  season.  The  number  of  these  families  is 
reported  to  be  about  500. 

In  November  we  were  advised  that  the  Imperial  County  supervisors  had 
agreed  to  levy  a  tax  of  a  few  cents  per  acre  to  create  a  fund  for  importing  and 
distributing  labor  on  a  large  scale  for  the  season  of  1918. 

Experience  in  Oakland. — As  an  example  of  unearthing  a  potential  supply  the 
experience  of  Mrs.  James  Hamilton,  chairman  of  the  Agricultural  Committee  of 
the  Oakland  unit  of  the  National  Defense  Council,  provides  some  interesting 


61 

data.  In  answer  to  a  request  from  an  Oakland  cannery,  after  due  investigation, 
and  satisfying  herself  that  conditions  were  satisfactory,  Mrs.  Hamilton  prom- 
ised to  raise  at  least  100  women  for  the  cannery  the  following  Monday,  the 
conference  taking  place  on  Saturday.  The  only  advertisement  was  a  seven-inch 
news  item  appearing  in  the  newspapers.  All  day  Sunday  Mrs.  Hamilton  and 
her  assistant  received  numerous  calls  and  the  first  seventy  were  asked  to  be  at 
the  cannery  on  Monday  morning  and  responded  unanimously,  so  that  they  forced 
the  regular  hands  to  return  to  work.  Mrs.  Hamilton  believes  that  200  women 
could  be  easily  employed  at  a  few  hour's  notice. 

The  Drive  for  Hemet  Cannery  Kelp. — The  California  Growers'  Association 
at  a  cost  of  $853,  secured  141  people,  many  of  whom  were  Los  Angeles  Normal 
School  girls,  tor  their  Hemet  cannery,  15  of  whom  disappeared  after  securing 
their  first  meal  and  night's  lodging.  A  three  weeks'  campaign  was  inaugurated, 
but  it  is  worth  noting  that  only  $15  was  spent  for  newspaper  and  $10  for  motion 
picture  advertising.  The  manager  of  the  Los  Angeles  office  believes  many 
more  could  have  been  secured.  The  rest  of  the  fund  was  used  to  advance  trans- 
portation ($350);  to  furnish  quarters  ($370);  while  other  charges  (including 
two  free  meals)  amounted  to  $128,  thus  advertising  and  overhead  together 
amounted  to  about  $153. 

Outside  of  furnishings  and  transportation  the  cost  per  person  amounted  to 
but  $1.09  for  each  individual  obtained. 

Only  about  50%  of  those  reaching  Hemet  were  still  on  the  job  one  week 
after  arrival.  As  a  general  rule,  these  city  women  were  considered  to  be  about 
two-thirds  efficient,  but  made  not  less  than  $1.50  on  apricots  per  day  when 
cutting  on  piece  work  at  15  cents  per  box,  and  canning  at  4  cents  per  tray. 
The  majority  were  making  from  $2  to  $2.50  per  day  and  some  $3  and  even  $4, 
all  working  12  hours.  The  company  furnished  cots,  blankets,  and  housing  in  a 
burned  out  hotel  and  in  the  school  houses.  They  had  also  provided  a  teacher 
for  supervising  the  children  of  the  workers.  It  was  apparent  that  those  who 
meant  business  were  actually  at  work  and  willing  to  stay. 

The  Outcome  in  Riverside. — W.  B.  Parker,  Farm  Adviser  for  Riverside 
County,  made  a  strong  attempt  through  well  placed  newspaper  articles  and 
editorials  to  get  100  women  and  girls  over  16  years  of  age  to  cut  fruit  for  can- 
neries in  his  county,  including  the  Hemet  Cannery.  The  gross  result  of  his 
campaign  was  only  20  women,  12  of  whom  were  negresses  and  all  of  whom 
frankly  admitted  that  the  motive  of  their  response  was  financial  rather  than 
patriotic. 

Tn  his  newspaper  campaign  for  fruit  cutters,  Mr.  Parker  offered  12  cents 
a  box  and  stated  that  women  or  girls  of  16  could  make  over  $2.  At  least  a 
month 's  wrork  was  offered,  with  chances  that  it  would  continue  for  a  longer 
period  and  under  the  best  of  conditions.  His  appeal  to  patriotism  is  indicated 
in  his  articles:  "The  nation  needs  this  fruit  and  we  are  appealing  to  the  women 
and  girls  of  Eiverside  to  come  forward  as  a  patriotic  duty  to  help  preserve  this 
food  stuff."  Further  on:  "This  is  the  first  opportunity  that  the  women  and 
girls  of  Eiverside  have  had  to  do  their  bit  in  solving  the  labor  problems  in 
connection  with  the  food  supply,  which  is  so  important  for  winning  this  war 
for  democracy.     Are  they  going  to  meet  it?" 

Horst's  Idea. — As  a  successful  employer  of  city  dwellers,  employed  to  pick 
hops  in  numbers  up  to  10.000,  the  point  of  view  of  Mr.  E,  Clemens  Horst,  of 
San  Francisco,  is  especially  worth  while. 


62 

As  a  result  of  a  conference  on  August  21st  it  developed  that  Mr.  Horst 
believes  25,000  city  dwellers  can  be  drawn  from  the  bay  regions  for  emergency 
help  in  harvest  to  do  that  kind  of  work  for  which  they  are  fitted.  With  a  sea- 
son running  fifteen  days,  a  car  fare  expenditure  of  $10,  and  average  earnings 
of  $1.50  or  less  a  day,  he  has  had  good  results  with  thousands  of  these  people. 
He  bases  his  success  upon  "a  profitable  outing"  idea.  He  points  out  that  this 
kind  of  labor  can  only  be  handled  by  large  employers  who  are  willing  to  furnish 
proper  living  conditions,  such  as  beds,  water,  latrines  and  stoves,  who  will 
provide  entertainment  and  treat  the  people  as  equals.  By  utilizing  these  simple 
ideas  he  has  been  able  to  gather  people  from  long  distances,  the  same  crowd 
returning  year  after  year. 

He  believes  that  stress  should  be  placed  upon  the  vacation  idea,  and  not 
upon  this  methods  as  a  means  of  making  money.  Keduced  railroad  rates  can 
be  secured,  and  it  is  usual  for  the  employer  to  retain  half  of  the  ticket  until 
the  work  is  done.  Tt  need  hardly  be  mentioned  that  Americans  must  be  kept 
by  themselves,  and  not  work  with  Asiatics. 

TJJciah's  Attempts. — In  answer  to  our  request  for  advices  concerning  attempts 
to  obtain  labor  for  certain  bean  canneries  working  on  government  contracts, 
Mr.  Claude  Van  Dyke,  County  Farm  Agent  for  Mendocino  County,  writes: 

"  Answering  your  communication  relative  to  the  patriotic  appeal  to  the 
residents  for  help  with  the  harvests: 

"The  campaign  was  carried  on  through  the  local  press  for  several  weeks. 
It  was  taken  up  with  the  different  ladies'  societies,  church  organizations,  etc., 
and  the  public  was  generally  informed  of  the  imperative  need  of  labor  in 
filling  government  needs  for  canned  beans  and  other  foods. 

"The  results  were  quite  favorable.  Women  who  had  never  done  outside 
labor,  as  well  as  many  who  had  never  done  any  considerable  home  work,  joined 
in  with  much  interest.     There  was  practically  no   loss   due  to  labor   shortage. 

"The  wages  paid  were  slightly  advanced  over  that  paid  preceding  years. 
The  patriotic  answer  of  the  people  is  directly  responsible  for  much  assistance." 

Result  of  a  Test  Survey  in  San  Francisco. — A  worker  of  the  Association  of 
Collegiate  Alumnae  tried  out  a  questionnaire  arranged  by  us  to  test  the  avail- 
able potential  supply  of  city  dwellers  who  might  be  available  for  emergency 
farm  work.  Results  brought  in  by  her  from  100  San  Francisco  families  showed 
as  follows: 

Twenty  homes  in  a  poor  district  yielded  no  result. 

Forty  homes  in  a  comfortable  middle  class  district  yielded  one  lodger, 
who  might  be  enrolled,  but  was  uncertain. 

Forty  homes  in  a  district  where  the  families  were  supported  by  small  regular 
earnings,  were  equally  unresponsive. 

Use  of  Boy  Labor. — Much  popular  interest  centers  in  the  farmers '  use  of 
schoolboys  and  a  part  of  our  work  consisted  in  checking  up,  so  far  as  we  were 
able,  the  degree  of  success  attending  their  employment.  The  use  of  schoolboys 
during  the  summer  has  been  very  general  and  this  season 's  experience  has 
proven  them  to  be  a  valuable  factor  in  farm  activities. 

To  employ  student  or  boy  labor  the  essential  factors  are  (1st)  work  that 
can  adequately  be  performed  by  this  type  of  labor;  (2nd)  proper  housing  and 
food,  including  segregation  from  the  typical  low  type  of  transient  farm  labor; 
(3rd)  a  wage  scale  that  is  adapted  to  both  the  type  of  work  and  boy  labor, 
piece  work  being  best;    (4th)   supervision  other  than  agricultural,  i.e.,  a  super- 


63 

visor  who  will  act  as  a  councilor  for  the  boys  and  care  for  their  comfort, 
moral  life,  etc. 

The  ideal  situation  was  found  to  be  where  the  employer  feeds  the  boys  and 
furnished  tents,  cots  or  other  satisfactory  living  quarters.  However,  where 
larger  groups  of  boys  are  concentrated  in  one  camp  is  is  sometimes  possible  for 
them  to  furnish  their  own  equipment,  cook  food,  etc. 

Much  if  not  all,  of  the  success  attending  the  use  of  high  school  students  can 
be  ascribed  to  the  proper  selection  of  boys  for  the  work,  followed  by  the  em- 
ployer 's  ability  to  handle  the  boys,  wage   scale  and  proper  living  conditions. 

Constant  care  should  be  exercised  to  make  sure  that  the  student  recognizes 
the  serious  nature  of  the  work  upon  which  he  is  embarking.  In  a  few  cases, 
even  when  care  is  exercised,  thoughtless  students  have  greatly  injured  the 
effectiveness  of  the  work  by  lightly  entering  upon  farm  service  and  as  lightly 
giving  it  up. 

Some  careful  system  of  keeping  in  touch  with  the  men  is  exceedingly  impor- 
tant. If  the  confidence  of  the  farmers  is  to  be  won  and  maintained  they  must 
have  the  assurance  that  they  will  not  find  themselves  without  help  just  as  the 
busy  season  is  approaching.  Every  effort  must  be  made  to  keep  the  boys 
steadily  at'their  task.  For  young  students,  more  especially  high  school  students, 
some  form  of  direct  supervision,  probably  in  camps,  seems  essential. 

Absorption  of  Child  Labor. — About  June  20th,  Mr.  Will  C.  Wood,  Commis- 
sioner of  Education  for  Secondary  Schools,  secured  figures  from  140  out  o|  the 
306  high  schools  of  the  state  to  show  the  number  of  boys  and  girls  available 
for  farm  work  during  this  summer  vacation.  None  of  the  Oakland  schools 
responded  because  they  were  already  closed,  likewise  the  San  Francisco  schools, 
save  only  the  Mission  High,  while  figures  were  also  lacking  from  six  of  the 
eighteen  big  high  schools  in  Los  Angeles.  Other  large  schools  failing  to 
report  were  Bakersfield,  Modesto,  Pasadena,  Pomona,  Kiverside,  and  San  Diego. 
Reports  were  received  concerning  scarcely  one-half  the  high  school  enrollment 
of  the  state.  Eleven  of  the  reporting  schools,  none  of  them  from  the  large 
cities,  made  virtually  blank  reports.  The  total  enrollment  of  all  the  reporting 
schools  was  13,000  boys  and  17,000  girls.  Two  thousand  three  hundred  boys  and 
1800  girls  expected  to  be  employed  at  home;  3300  boys  and  2400  girls  were 
noted  as  ready  to  work  on  farms  in  their  home  neighborhood;  2100  boys  and 
500  girls  indicated  a  readiness  to  work  at  a  distance  from  home.  Two  hundred 
and  sixty-nine  men  and  149  women  teachers  volunteered  to  help  in  one  way  or 
another,  as  group  leaders  or  camp  directors. 

July  11th,  in  connection  with  hurry  calls  for  60  more  boys  from  Sonoma 
and  Sacramento  Counties,  an  attempt  was  made  to  find  high  school  boys. 
Efforts  to  obtain  these  lads  through  the  high  schools  of  San  Francisco,  Oakland, 
Berkeley,  San  Rafael,  Benicia,  Stockton,  Oakdale,  Petaluma,  Sacramento,  and 
Marysville,  proved  fruitless.  Only  one  school  could  offer  any  boys,  and  these 
were  too  young  to  be  used.  Three  or  four  boys  were,  with  difficulty,  secured 
in  Berkeley  and  San  Francisco  by  phone. 

On  July  14th,  circular  letters  were  sent  to  93  other  schools  to  ascertain  the 
status  of  their  lists  concerning  boys  available  either  for  neighborhood,  or  for 
work  away  from  home.  To  the  total  inquiries  made,  93  answers  were  received, 
each  with  monotonous  regularity  reporting  their  boys  at  work  almost  to  the 
last  one,  and  expecting  to  stay  at  work. 


64 

The  outstanding  fact  is  that  high  school  hoys  have  been  absorbed  by  local 
demand  wherever  available  and  no  surplus  labor  of  this  nature  has  been  open 
for  other  counties. 

Sebastopol  Berry  Fields.— The  berry  fields  of  the  Sebastopol  section  drew 
more  heavily  upon  organized  boy  labor  than  any  other  section,  and  during  the 
season  used  fully  400  youngsters  of  upper  grammar  grades  in  addition  to  its 
local  supply. 

We  were  much  interested  in  seeing  how  matters  turned  out,  and  several 
trips  were  made  by  representatives  of  this  office  into  the  field.  After  the  sea- 
son was  over,  thanks  to  the  courtesy  of  the  leaders,  we  were  permitted  access 
to  the  records  of  the  various  camps,  and  offer  certain  findings  of  a  rather  strik- 
ing nature. 

The  length  of  the  season  depends  upon  the  weather,  but,  roughly,  runs  from 
the  middle  of  May  to  about  the  first  of  July  for  loganberries,  and  from  about 
the  first  of  July  to  about  September  1st  for  blackberries. 

Tne  principal  camps  were: 

1.  A  camp  of  158  from  the  Boys'  and  Girls'  Aid  Society,  San  Francisco, 
located  on  the  Barlow  Eanch  for  twelve  weeks,  ending  about  September  1st. 

2.  The  Plymouth  Center  Camp  from  Oakland,  starting  with  members  under 
direction  of  Mr.  W.  D.  MacDonald,  assigned  to  the  Kinley  Ranch,  worked  there 
from  June  6th  to  July  20th. 

3#  Fifty-four  Oakland  Boy  Scouts,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Henry  Raphael,  work- 
ing for  Mr.  Lee  Maddox,  remained  38  days,  beginning  about  June  12th. 

4.  Twenty-eight  Berkeley  Boy  Scouts  encamped  on  the  Gold  Ridge  Orchard 
Company's  lands  and  working  for  them,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Percy  R.  M.  Jenkins, 
remained  in  the  field  from  June  14th  to  September  1st. 

5.  Twenty-two  children  from  the  People 's  Place,  working  for  the  Fisher 
Ranch  under  direction  of  Miss  Marion  Adams,  picked  from  June  9th  to  about 
July  21st. 

Hours,  Earnings  and  Conditions. — The  Boys'  and  Girls'  Aid  Society  in  San 
Francisco  has  established  a  camp  every  year  for  many  years  in  the  Sebastopol 
berry  district.  This  district  has  come  to  depend  upon  the  large  annual  influx 
from  the  society.  A  number  of  the  boys,  being  feeble  minded  or  crippled,  were 
only  partially  efficient.  The  working  day  was  eight  hours,  farmers  furnishing 
transportation  whenever  the  work  was  more  than  one*mile  from  camp.  The 
society  receives  boys  on  commitment  from  the  courts,  and  does  not  pretend  to 
maintain  its  camp  on  a  commercial  basis.  This  summer,  working  twelve  weeks, 
eight  hours  per  day,  they  earned  on  an  average  about  $33  gross  each  for  the 
season.     Individual  earnings  range  from  $18  to  $90. 

The  Plymouth  Center  boys,  working  on  an  average  from  eight  to  eight  and 
a  half  hours  per  day,  earned  on  an  average  per  boy  $.422  per  day.  The  daily 
expense  for  board  at  the  Plymouth  Center  Camp  on  the  Kinley  ranch  at 
Sebastopol,  was  31  cents,  though  had  all  the  boys  paid  up  it  would  have  cost 
about  28  cents  per  boy.  Seventeen  boys,  or  about  30*%  of  the  whole  camp, 
failed  to  make  expenses,  with  an  average  loss  of  $4.46,  ranging  from  10  cents 
to  $8.93.  The  camp  ran  46  days,  57  boys  present  in  all;  of  whom  20  stayed 
throughout,  21  from  38  to  45  days,  and  16,  37  days  or  less.  The  boys  were 
reported  to  have  satisfied  their  employers,  although  one  or  two  parents  were 
very  much  dissatisfied  with  the  earnings  of  their  own  sons. 


65 

Camp  Director  Henry  Eaphael  of  the  Boys  Scouts  working  for  Maddox 
reported  that  the  outing  was  a  complete  success  from  the  point  of  view  from 
which  it  was  intended,  namely,  that  of  providing  an  outing  for  the  boys,  but  the 
net  earnings  of  57  boys  for  the  season  were  only  $90.76.  The  boys  were  charged 
with  $43.76  worth  of  kitchen  utensils,  hardware  and  medical  supplies,  so  that 
the  actual  net  earnings  were  only  $47. 

Fifty-seven  boys  started  camp,  of  which  32  were  present  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end.  Of  the  32  the  earniius  of  t ':e  boys  based  on  the  plan  of  pay- 
ment, i.e.,  one  cent  for  every  cup  and  four  cents  for  every  tray  of  berries, 
$5  per  day  for  camp  directors  and  tents,  tables,  stoves  and  latrines  fur- 
nished by  the  rancher,  varied  from  $6.40  to  $22.52,  or  an  average  earning  of 
$14.64.  On  several  occasions  the  price  paid  the  boys  was  increased  temporarily 
25%  to  encourage  them.  Moneys  turned  over  to  the  boys  as  figured  on  five 
weeks'  and  three  days'  work,  consisted  of  everything  they  earned  above  $14.25, 
except  in  the  case  of  the  boys  who  came  after  the  camp  began. 

Money  brought  home  by  the  boys  on  this  basis  ranged  from  12  cents  to 
$8.27.  Boys  worked  on  an  average  10%  hours  in  the  field.  It  may  be  men- 
tioned in  passing  that  the  board  was  not  extensive  in  quantity,  since  the  camp 
expenses  for  meat,  fish,  groceries,  bread  and  pastry  amounted  to  only  $381.49. 

Of  the  22  People's  Place  boys  and  girls  taken  out  by  Miss  Marion  Adams 
into  the  Sebastopol  berry  field,  18  were  in  camp  three  weeks  or  over,  nine 
being  present  the  entire  six  weeks.  Gross  earnings  of  the  18  ranged  from  $6.95 
to  $30.33,  with  an  average  of  $11.82.  Deducting  board,  at  rate  of  $11  for  six 
weeks,  the  net  earnings  were  from  $1.84  to  $19.33,  or  an  average  of  $2.36  for 
three  to  six  weeks'  work. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  ages  of  these  "children"  ranged  from  11% 
years  to  25  years,  while  14  of  the  18  were  from  12  years  to  14  years  of  age, 
inclusive. 

The  nine  who  remained  the  entire  six  weeks  made  an  average  net  earning 
of  $3.73,  ranging  from  $1.84  to  $19.33,  to  compensate  them  for  their  six  weeks' 
work. 

Based  upon  1917  experiences  it  is  concluded: 

1st.  At  wages  which  the  industry  feels  it  can  afford  to  pay,  boys  cannot 
average  more  than  75  cents  to  80  cents  a  day  of  eight  hours,  many  boys  making- 
less  than  this  sum,  of  which  50  cents  a  day  must  go  for  camp  expenses.  The 
balance  left  to  the  boy  after  paying  transportation  is  nil  or  negligible. 

2nd.  This  work  is  justified  only  as  a  means  of  financing  an  outing  for  the 
youngsters. 

3rd.  All  the  Sebastopol  camps  were  in  the  hands  of  good  supervisors. 

4th.  The  fare  in  some  instances  was  scanty. 

5th.  Work  of  the  boys  is  considered  by  all  the  employers,  except  one,  to  be 
highly  satisfactory. 

6th.  Impression  of  most  supervisors  is  that  the  experience  is  worth  repeat- 
ing for  the  good  of  the  boys. 

Report  of  Exploiting  Boys. — A  report  reaching  the  office  that  less  than  usual 
wages  were  being  paid  in  the  berry  fields  was  found  to  be  without  fact. 
Rather  the  reverse  was  true,  i.e.,  a  higher  rate  for  this  y ear's  picking. 

After  a  trip  to  the  fields,  Freeborn  says:  "The  Gold  Ridge  Orchard  Com- 
pany, one  of  the  largest  of  the  Sebastopol  berry  growing  concerns,  is  paying 


0:5 

last  year's  rate  for  picking  plus  one-third  of  all  net  increase  in  receipts  the 
company  is  able  to  secure  over  that  of  1916. 

''Picking  costs  are  considered  to  be  one-third  of  the  total  costs.  Newton 
Kinley  is  paying  the  same  as  last  year  plus  all  camp  equipment  and  $2.50  per 
diem  to  each  of  the  two  Boy  Scout  supervisors.  The  same  applies  to  Lee  Mad- 
dox's  place. 

"The  1916  rate  was  one  cent  a  basket,  six  to  the  draw,  or  two  cents  a 
basket,  two  to  a  draw.  Some  growers  paid  a  bonus  of  one-half  and  one  cent  per 
draw  to  those  who  stayed  through  the  campaign." 

Antioch  Asparagus  Fields.—  In  co-operation  with  Mr.  W.  E.  Meek  of  Antioch, 
24  Berkeley  High  School  students  were  sent  to  Bradford  Island — a  dusty  peat 
island  surrounded  by  levee — in  the  Stockton  delta,  to  assist  in  harvesting  the 
asparagus  crop.  The  boys  left  on  May  11th  under  agreement  to  stay  until 
June  20th. 

One  boy  was  compelled  to  leave  on  account  of  sickness  shortly  after  the 
work  started,  six  left  at  odd  times  from  May  14th  to  June  10th,  one  was  dis- 
charged for  unsatisfactory  service,  ten  quit  June  10th  and  six  remained  until 
the  end  of  the  work. 

Criticism  may  rightly  be  directed  against  some  of  the  boys  who,  failing  to 
possess  a  true  sense  of  individual  responsibility  toward  the  work,  withdrew 
before  the  end  of  the  season  or  did  not  put  in  a  fair  eight-hour  day. 

Special  and  satisfactory  camp  facilities  in  the  way  of  tents,  showers  and 
cook-house  were  provided  by  Mr.  Meek  in  accordance  with  requirements  of  the 
State  Immigration  and  Housing  Commission  and  under  the  personal  direction  of 
one  of  their  inspectors,  Mr.  E.  A.  Brown.  A  representative  from  the  Berkeley 
High  School  stayed  continually  with  the  boys  to  watch  over  their  general 
welfare. 

As  to  efficiency,  when  working  side  by  side  with  experienced  help,  the  high 
school  boys  on  an  average  cut  50%  as  much  hour  for  hour,  while  the  best  one- 
third  cut  70%  as  much  hour  for  hour,  eight  hours  constituting  a  full  day  for 
the  boys,  as  against  eleven  hours  for  the  regular  help. 

The  boys  had  certain  grounds  for  complaint  from  their  standpoint  in  the 
lack  of  variety  of  fare,  although  the  food  was  fully  as  good  and  in  some 
respects  better  than  the  average  California  ranch  furnishes.  Then,  the  daily 
earnings  were  not  as  high  as  the  boys  had  reason  to  expect.  This  caused  con- 
siderable dissatisfaction.  Working  on  a  piece  basis  the  average  earnings,  from 
which  50  cents  per  days  was  deducted  for  board,  gave  during  the  period,  when 
the  majority  of  the  boys  were  employed,  i.e.,  every  day  from  May  11th  to 
June  10th,  as  follows: 

Average  earning  per  day  before  board  was  deducted  for  all  boys,  about  91 
cents. 

Average  earning  per  day  after  board  was  deducted  for  all  boys,  about  41 
cents. 

Total  number  man  days  employed,  591  man  days  of  eight  hours. 

Total  number  man  days  not  working,  67%  man  days  of  eight  hours. 

Percentage  of  days  boys  laid  off,  one-half  and  full  days,  11%. 

For  best  one-third: 

Average  earnings  per  day  before  board  was  deducted,  $1.13. 

Average  earnings  per  day  after  board  was  deducted,  63  cents. 

After  June  10th  the  rate  of  pay  was  increased  about  50%. 


67 

High  school  boys  were  not  a  success  in  the  asparagus  fields,  because  the 
work  is  of  a  kind  and  under  field  conditions  such  that  boys  are  not  able  to 
earn  enough  to  compensate  them  for  the  amount  of  effort  demanded. 

Vorden  General  Banch  Work. — About  June  8th  a  request  for  nine  high  school 
boys  was  filled  by  us  for  Mr.  M.  C.  C.  Van  Loben  Sels  of  Vorden.  These  boys 
were  employed  for  general  farm  work — hoeing  beans,  clearing  land,  digging 
ditch,  irrigating,  levee,  building  fence.  All  the  boys  stayed  with  the  work  in 
accordance  with  their  original  agreement. 

No  resident  representative  was  with  them,  regular  inspection  trips  being 
made  from  this  office.  As  to  the  way  things  worked  out,  I  quote  from  a  letter 
received  from  the  owner  in  which  he  asks  for  15  additional  boys  and  said: 
"We  are  very  well  pleased  with  the  boys  we  have  and  hope  you  will  be  as 
successful  with  the  other  selection."  Unsolicited  statements  were  sent  in  by 
two  of  the  boys  telling  how  well  satisfied  they  were. 

Mr.  Van  Loben  Sels  considers  the  experiment  with  these  boys  a  great  suc- 
cess and  emphasized  particularly  the  qualities  of  the  "city  boys"  with  whom 
he  has  dealt.  It  must  be  remembered  that  Mr.  Van  Loben  Sels  is  an  unusual 
man  and  offers  unusual  conditions  of  work.  One  of  his  chief  points  is  that 
boys  of  high  school  age  must  not  be  put  at  heavy  lifting,  such  as  loading  hay. 
bucking  sacked  grain,  or  handling  heavy  crates  and  lug  boxes. 

Fresno  Fruit  Worlc. — Without  an  exception  reports  secured  in  an  investiga- 
tion of  labor  conditions  in  Fresno  County  the  last  of  September  indicated  the 
character  of  work  done  by  school  boys  in  the  harvest  fields  was  favorable. 

The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  at  Fresno  advertised  for  boys  to  do  farm  work  and  estab- 
lished a  camp  at  the  Sanger  Y.  M.  C.  A.  about  September  1st,  under  the  super- 
vision of  Mr.  Neal  Locke,  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  secretary.  There  was  an  average  of  25 
boys  at  this  camp,  ranging  from  15  to  18  years  of  age.  Younger  boys  could  be 
had  in  large  numbers,  but  it  was  not  considered  that  they  could  do  satisfactory 
work.  Of  all  boys  sent  to  Sanger,  only  five  were  returned  on  account  of  laziness 
or  bad  habits. 

The  camp,  which  was  situated  on  the  grounds  of  the  Sanger  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
was  established  in  response  to  a  request  from  growers  in  this  vicinity  who 
helped  to  bear  the  expense  of  establishing  the  camp.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  secre- 
tary looked  after  the  welfare  of  the  boys,  lined  up  jobs  for  them  and  had  gen- 
eral supervision  over  their  work.  Board  was  charged  at  the  rate  of  $5  a  week. 
Lunches  were  taken  out  to  the  boys.  The  boys  either  went  to  work  on  bicycles, 
or  were  called  for  by  farmers. 

'Very  few  of  the  Fresno  boys  were  in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  camps,  most  of  them 
being  placed  by  the  Valley  Fruit  Growers'  Association,  an  estimate  indicating 
that  from  800  to  000  were  sent  out  in  this  way.  No  complaints  regarding  the 
work  of  these  boys  were  turned  in  by  the  growers. 

Earnings  obtained  in  harvesting  crops  in  the  vicinity  of  Fresno  has  resulted 
in  one  boy  from  Bakersfield  making  from  $4.50  to  $5  per  day  picking  grapes 
by  piece  work.  He  received  three  cents  per  tray  for  muscats  and  two  and  one- 
half  cents  for  Thompson  seedless  and  Sultanas.  He  stated  that  he  could  have 
had  plenty  of  work  at  Bakersfield  on  ranches  at  $2.50  per  day,  but  considered 
he  could  make  more  money  at  piece  work.  Most  boys  have  been  making  from 
$3  to  $4  a  day  on  piece  work.  The  average  boy  can  easily  pick  100  trays  of 
grapes  a  day.  Some  boys  work  by  the  day,  getting  from  $2.50  to  $3.  The 
lowest  wage  which   had   been   made,   as   far   as  could   be  ascertained,   was  that 


68 

obtained  by  picking  peaches.  One  boy  made  $14  per  day  picking  peaches  at 
five  cents  a  box,  even  though  he  complained  of  the  peaches  being  small  and 
covered  with  red  spiders. 

Additional  Experiences  with  School  Children. — At  the  Sunlit  Cannery  in  West 
Berkeley,  for  the  week  ending  July  16th,  23  boys,  working  full  time,  earned 
$168.26,  with  an  average  of  $7.3114  per  week.  The  working  day  was  eight 
hours.  The  lowest  earning  was  $6.24,  the  highest  $8.40.  Fifteen  of  these  boys 
were  on  a  16  cents  per  hour  scale,  eight  of  them  on  a  17^-cent  scale.  The 
ages  of  these  boys  ranged  from  12  to  15,  as  follows:  12  years  old,  1;  13  years 
old,  4;  14  years  old,  9;  and  15  years  old,  9.  No  relation  is  apparent  between 
the  age  of  the  boy  and  whether  he  worked  at  16  cents  or  17%  cents  per  hour. 
Four  boys,  one  17  years  old  and  three  18  years  old,  worked  ten  hours  per  day, 
earning  this  same  week  $56.05,  or  an  average  of  $14.01  per  boy.  The  lowest 
earning  was  $11.90;  the  highest  $15  for  these  four  boys. 

At  the  same  cannery  21  girls  working  eight  hours  per  day  earned  for  this 
same  week,  working  full  time,  $124.33.  The  average  earning  was  $5.92.  The 
range  was  from  $3.97  to  $12.55.  These  girls  worked  at  piece  rates.  The  range 
of  ages  is  shown  as  follows:  12  years,  6;  13  years,  4;  14  years,  4;  15  years,  3; 
16  years,  2;  and  17  years,  2. 

T.  S.  Caldwell,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  camp  director  of  93  boys,  mostly  from  Oakland 
high  schools,  at  Sunnyvale,  Santa  Clara  County,  reported  at  the  end  of  July  that 
100  more  boys  could  be  put  to  work  immediately  in  that  neighborhood,  that 
prejudice  against  such  boys  had  been  completely  removed  by  the  success  of  his 
camp  and  that  farmers  were  begging  for  more  of  them. 

Children,  young  and  old,  and  from  any  sources  have  been  employed  success- 
fully in  picking  up  prunes  and  walnuts,  and  seem  to  be  preferable  in  many 
cases  to  the  adult  whites. 

In  the  Alameda  cherry  district  city  boys  were  reported  to  be  doing  fairly 
satisfactory  work,  though  requiring  rather  close  watching  lest  they  pick  too 
much  green  fruit.     Strength  to  carry  a  ladder  is  essential  to  doing  this  work. 

During  the  sugar  beet  thinning  season  the  Los  Alamitos  Sugar  Company 
at  Los  Alamitos  used  school  boys  from  the  vicinity  to  assist  in  thinning  the 
crop.  They  were  not  held  to  any  given  amount  of  work  but  paid  so  much  a 
row,  depending  upon  the  length  of  the  row.  The  results  were  considered  suc- 
cessful, but  constant  supervision  was  found  necessary,  a  drawback  to  extensive 
use  of  this  class  of  labor. 

Mr.  William  Begier,  San  Leandro  cherry  grower,  in  June  began  paying  ten 
boys  $1.50  per  ten-hour  day,  and  advanced  them  to  $1.75  as  fast  as  justifiable. 
These  boys  went  back  and  forth  from  Hayward  to  East  Oakland  every  day. 
On  July  2nd  he  reported  that  the  ten  boys  picking  berries  for  him  were  so 
satisfactory  that  he  expected  to  put  20  boys  to  work  on  apricots  at  $1.50  and 
$2  per  ten-hour  day,  not  including  board,  as  the  boys  rode  to  and  from  their 
homes  in  Oakland. 

Santa  Barbara  High  School  boys  were  kept  working  in  the  lima  beans  and 
melons  of  Ventura  County  from  June  to  September  with  good  results.  Local 
authorities  state  that  the  boys  can  be  used  to  advantage  picking  up  walnuts, 
but  the  season  (September  15th  to  November  15th)  seriously  interferes  with 
school  work. 

Forty-five  boys  employed  for  a  few  days  thinning  peaches  near  Fresno, 
gave  an   average  efficiency  rated  at  90%,   with   best   one-third   100%   efficient. 


69 

Four  boys  were  discharged;  the  rest  stayed  until  the  end  of  the  job,  four  days, 
being  paid  $2.25  per  day  of  ten  hours. 

The  Kirkman  Nurseries  of  Fresno  used  ten  boys  tying  up  shipments  of 
plants.  They  reported  them  100%  efficient  after  a  month's  work  and  at  the 
time  of  our  visit  none  had  quit  or  been  fired. 

Closing  Schools. — School  authorities  in  San  Francisco,  Alameda,  Oakland,  and 
Berkeley  were  interviewed  during  the  latter  part  of  July  in  the  belief  that  a 
considerable  number  of  high  school  boys  now  at  work  on  the  farms  should  be 
allowed  to  remain  at  work  during  August  without  endangering  their  school 
standing.  The  attitudes  of  these  people  differed  in  detail,  but  they  all  agreed 
to  co-operate  to  the  utmost  of  their  ability,  especially  in  the  matter  of  facili- 
tating the  boys'  efforts  to  regain  standing  upon  their  return  to  school.  They 
also  showed  in  common  a  readiness  to  allow  boys  to  be  recruited  for  necessary 
farm  work  after  the  schools  should  have  opened,  upon  emergency  being  shown. 

This  office  has  caused  much  attention  to  be  given  to  the  inevitable  clash 
between  California  crop  harvest  and  preserving  (in  canneries,  etc.)  and  the 
early  opening  of  the  bay  schools.  These  schools  are  nearly  all  in  full  swing 
by  the  first  of  August.  We  have  gotten  some  of  the  most  important  school 
boards  interested  in  a  revision  of  their  vacation  dates  in  the  interest  of  1918 
crop  seasons.  To  bring  this  about  would  materially  lessen  the  labor  difficulties 
of  many  farmers  and  canneries  of  the  bay  region. 

Senate  Bill  No.  1202,  chapter  192,  empowers  the  State  Board  of  Education 
to  close  any  or  every  school  in  the  state,  or  to  postpone  its  opening  as  a  war 
emergency  measure,  in  order  that  students  may  be  engaged  in  the  saving  of 
crops,  provided  only  that  no  school  year  shall  contain  less  than  six  months. 
The  act  further  provides  that  no  school  district  shall,  because  of  such  closing, 
lose  any  portion  of  its  revenue  and  that  the  teachers  concerned  shall  be  paid 
their  full  salaries  and  may  be  required  to  go  upon  ranches  with  their  pupils 
as  group  leaders  or  camp  directors. 

Correspondence  with  the  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  at  Sacra- 
mento indicates  a  considerable  lack  of  co-operation  between  the  different  cen- 
tral school  authorities  of  the  state  in  respect  to  the  law  passed  authorizing  the 
State  Board  of  Education  to  close  any  school  temporarily  as  a  war  emergency 
measure.  As  it  may  yet  be  desirable  to  invoke  this  law,  it  should  seem  that 
an  effort  should  be  made  to  get  the  machinery  for  operating  the  law  into  good 
working  order.  This  probably  has  not  yet  been  done.  For  example,  this  office 
is  still  inquiring  how  the  law  could  be  invoked  upon  a  sudden  necessity  with 
the  State  Board  of  Education  not  in  session. 

As  a  matter  of  general  interest  rulings  regarding  the  closing  of  schools  to 
permit  pupils  to  aid  in  farm  work  is  of  interest  to  all  working  to  relieve  the 
farm  labor  shortage. 

The  Attorney  General's  office  for  the  State  of  California  was  asked  by  us 
to  render  a  decision  concerning  the  closing  of  schools.  The  findings  are  deemed 
to  be  of  sufficient  interest  to  give  in  full. 

"I  have  your  communication  of  even  date  wherein  you  ask  whether  the  local 
school  authorities  may  close  their  schools  to  some  of  the  pupils  in  order  to  per- 
mit them  to  engage  in  agricultural  work  and  at  the  same  time  maintain  the 
schools  for  other  pupils  who  are  not  so  engaged.  You  also  ask  whether,  if  such 
action  is  taken,  the  provisions  of  the  Child  Labor  Law  requiring  permits  to 
work  and  age  and  schooling  certificates  will  apply.  You  also  ask  whether  such 
action  would  affect  the  revenues  of  the  school  districts  in  so  far  as  the  appor- 


70 

tionment  of  state  school  funds  upon  the  basis  of  average  daily  attendance  is 
concerned. 

''Local  school  authorities  may,  under  the  provisions  of  section  10  of  the 
Political  Code,  declare  holidays  in  the  public  schools  under  their  jurisdiction 
when  good  reason  exists  therefor.  A  holiday  so  declared  would,  in  all  ordinary 
cases,  deprive  the  school  of  the  apportionment  of  state  moneys  on  the  basis 
of  average  daily  attendance  during  the  period  in  which  the  schools  are  so 
closed.  In  this  connection  your  attention  is  directed  to  the  provisions  of  sub- 
division 5  of  section  1858  of  the  Political  Code,  which  covers  the  matter  of 
apportioning  state  school  funds  in  school  districts  maintaining  more  than  one 
school  where  a  school  is  closed  for  a  portion  of  the  term.  This  amendment, 
which  became  effective  on  July  30th  of  this  year,  modifies  any  former  construc- 
tion which  lias  been  placed  upon  the  power  of  local  school  authorities  (in  so 
far  as  a  district  which  maintains  more  than  one  school  is  concerned)  relating 
to  the  closing  of  schools  for  emergency  purposes  and  the  apportionment  of  the 
state  school  moneys  during  such  periods. 

' '  The  Child  Labor  Law  requires  permits  to  work  for  minors  of  fourteen  years 
of  age  who  have  completed  the  prescribed  grammar  school  course  and  author- 
izes permits  to  work  to  minors  of  fourteen  years  of  age  who  have  not  com- 
pleted such  course  upon  the  showing  that  their  labor  is  necessary  to  the  sup- 
port of  a  parent  or  guardian  or  of  the  minor.  An  age  and  schooling  certificate 
may  be  issued  to  minors  of  fifteen  years  of  age  who  have  completed  the  gram- 
mar school  course  or  who  are  attending  night  school,  and  a  vacation  permit  may 
be  issued  to  minors  between  twelve  and  fifteen  years  of  age  during  the  regular 
vacation  of  the  public  schools,  but  as  to  agricultural  work  no  such  vacation  per- 
mit is  necessary.  It  would  seem  therefore,  that  a  declaration  of  a  period  of 
holidays  by  the  local  school  authorities  would  not  aid  the  situation  in  so  far  as 
the  requirement  of  these  various  permits  is  concerned. 

"Your  attention,  however,  is  called  to  the  provisions  of  chapter  192  of  the 
laws  of  1917,  effective  May  5,  1917,  reading,  in  part,  as  follows: 

"  'During  the  continuance  of  a  state  of  war  between  the  United  States  of 
America  and  any  foreign  power,  the  state  board  of  education,  with  the  approval 
of  the  governor,  shall  have  power,  whenever  in  the  opinion  of  a  majority  of  its 
members  such  step  is  necessary  for  the  planting  or  harvesting  of  crops  or  for 
other  agricultural  or  horticultural  purposes  and  is  for  the  welfare  of  the  state, 
to  make  an  order  closing,  for  such  time  as  may  be  specified  therein,  any  or  all 
educational  institutions  supported  wholly  or  in  part  by  the  state,  or  any  grade 
or  class  thereof.' 

"This  same  act  provides  that  whenever  any  educational  institution  is  so  closed 
the  salary  of  the  teachers  regularly  employed  therein  shall  be  paid  according  to  the 
contracts  of  employment  and  that  such  action  shall  not  in  any  manner  affect 
the  amount  of  money  apportioned  to  any  school  district  during  any  school  year. 

"Thus  the  legislature  has  committed  to  the  State  Board  of  Education  the 
power  to  close  any  of  the  schools  in  the  state  in  cases  of  emergency  such  as 
that  suggested  by  you,  and  when  this  action  is  taken  by  the  State  Board  the 
local  school  authorities  should  close  the  schools  or  any  grades  or  classes  thereof 
within  their  jurisdiction.  If,  therefore,  the  State  Board  of  Education  deems 
that  such  an  emergency  exists  at  this  time  it  may  so  declare  by  resolution  and 
the  local  authorities  should  close  the  schools  under  their  jurisdiction  or  any 
class  or  grade  thereof,  but,  at  the  same  time,  may  continue  to  give  instruction 
therein  to  such  pupils  as  may  desire  to  continue  their  school  studies.  Though 
attendance  upon  schools  so  closed  in  this  manner  may  be  purely  voluntary 
there  can  be  no  legal  objection  to  this  course  inasmuch  as  the  teachers  are  paid 
their  regular  salaries  even  if  no  service  is  rendered  and  the  school  receives  its 
full  quota  of  the  state  apportionment  irrespective  of  the  average  daily  attend- 
ance. 

"If  tne  course  outlined  in  chapter  192  of  Laws  of  1917  is  adopted  then  the 
provisions  of  the  Child  Labor  Law  requiring  permits  to  work  and  age  and 
schooling  certificates  will  not  apply  during  the  period  when  the  schools  are 
closed  for  emergency  purposes  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  that  act." 


71 


BETTER  WAYS  OF  BRINGING  EMPLOYEE  AND  EMPLOYER  TOGETHER 

The  average  farm  laborer  is  only  fairly  well  posted  concerning  labor  needs. 
When  he  wants  a  job  he  goes  to  the  locality  where  he  desires  work  or  where  he 
thinks  work  is  to  be  had.  Each  locality  has  some  place  where  labor  "hangs 
out/'  and  to  this  place  the  employer  experienced  in  getting  help  goes  and  gets 
his  men.  Some  laborers  are  obtained  through  representatives  who  handle  all 
business  details  as  the  so-called  " labor  contractor"  of  the  Japanese  and  Hindus, 
or  the  more  loosely  connected  "mayordomo"  of  the  Mexicans.  This  con- 
tractor is  fully  recognized  by  both  employer  and  employee — the  employer  pay- 
ing a  fee  for  all  men  he  obtains  through  this  source.  An  unofficial  go-between 
exists  when  Portuguese,  Greeks,  Italians,  Swiss  and  similar  classes  are  ap- 
proached. Being  gregarious,  these  men  are  usually  located  at  some  boarding- 
house  and  arrangements  between  employee  and  employer  perfected  through  the 
agency  of  the  boarding  house  keeper.  Other  classes  of  labor  as  Americans, 
English  and  Scandinavians,  conduct  their  negotiations  without  the  use  of  an 
intermediary.  Such  men  when  out  of  employment  can  usually  be  located  at 
some  central  point  where  they  tend  to  congregate,  as  at  some  saloon,  or  board- 
ing house,  or  cigar  stand,  or  pool  room,  or  by  inquiring  at  livery  stables,  private, 
state,  or  federal  employment  agencies. 

Moving  around  a  good  deal  and  coming  into  frequent  contact  with  one 
another,  the  average  itinerant  worker  is  conversant  with  existing  conditions. 
Not  only  does  he  know  the  conditions  prevailing  on  a  given  ranch,  as  hours, 
wages,  kind  of  work,  type  of  foreman,  and  living  conditions,  but  he  is  keenly 
alive  to  any  uneasiness  concerning  a  shortage  of  labor,  and  awake  to  the  possi- 
bilities of  an  increase  in  wages.  Moreover,  the  average  worker  aims  to  enjoy 
life.  He  goes  to  the  redwoods,  in  the  high  Sierras,  and  to  the  coast  during  the 
heat  of  summer,  he  travels  to  southern  California  for  the  rainy  season,  and  he 
picks  and  chooses  as  best  he  may. 

Carson  Cook  of  the  Rindge  interests  thinks  a  remedy  for  the  present  labor 
shortage  is  to  be  found  in  the  organization  of  the  industrial  army  under  state 
control,  the  individuals  and  groups  comprising  it  to  be  guaranteed  a  decent  liv- 
ing wage,  working  or  idle,  and  to  be  handled  and  moved  about  systematically 
so  as  to  obviate  conditions  and  shortages,  relieve  employer  of  anxiety  and 
keep  every  individual  at  work  the  greatest  possible  proportion  of  the  year. 
The  scheme  implies  securing  for  laborers  all  that  they  could  reasonably  demand 
in  the  way  of  decent  living  conditions.  One  important  advantage  of  it  would 
be  to  put  the  chronic  loafer  to  work. 

Frank  Swett  of  Martinez  advocates  that  all  persons  wanting  labor  should 
inform  the  postmasters  to  that  effect  and  put  notices  in  the  postoffice.  These 
notices  could  also  be  put  in  the  principal  store  in  town.  Word  of  this  practice 
would  soon  pass  around  among  strangers  and  they  would  get  a  definite  idea  of 
the  jobs  known  and  in  fact  to  depend  on  answers  which  shall  cover  the  majority 
of  people  they  encounter  in  their  search  for  work. 

Mr.  Maas,  in  charge  of  the  Fresno  State  Employment  Bureau,  gave  it  as  his 
opinion  that  much  of  the  trouble  experienced  with  farmers  in  getting  help  is 
due  to  the  fact  that  they  expect  to  get  it  as  soon  as  they  apply.  He  thought, 
too,  that  men  were  given  poor  treatment  by  many  growers.  He  points  out  that 
concerns  like  the  American  Seedless  Raisin  Company  and  Kearney  Ranch,  which 
have  good  accommodations,  experienced  little  trouble  in  getting  men. 


72 

Observations  in  employment  bureaus,  both  in  Los  Angeles  and  San  Francisco, 
show  that  there  are  probably  hundreds  of  able-bodied  men  in  each  place  who  will 
not  work,  but  rather  want  a  particular  job  at  a  particular  wage,  or  else  certain 
particular  conditions  of  work.  The  notices  on  blackboards  seem  to  have  little 
effect  in  securing  men,  the  practice  being  for  the  clerk  to  call  out  jobs  and 
wages  during  frequent  intervals  and  inviting  the  crowd  to  come  and  talk  them 
over.  The  men  want  first-hand  information.  Virtually  no  one  will  consider  a 
job  where  he  has  to  pay  over  $1.50  for  transportation.  Los  Angeles  employment 
agents  say  that  they  have  known  men  to  pay  the  agency  charges  in  advance  out 
of  gold  pieces,  showing  that  large  numbers  can  afford  to  wait  and  pick  their  jobs. 

The  manager  of  a  prominent  San  Francisco  private  employment  agency 
reported  in  September  that  there  were  six  hundred  unemployed  men  every  day 
in  the  different  employment  agencies  in  San  Francisco,  a  large  proportion  of 
whom  would  not  work  on  any  kind  of  a  job.  He  said  that  labor  was  short 
everywhere  but  largely  because  of  its  disinclination  to  work.  It  may  be  sug- 
gested that  this  opinion  represents  the  existence  of  a  staple  class  of  unemployed 
and  of  large  numbers  of  men  able  to  wait  till  they  meet  a  job  of  their  liking. 
A  short  time  previously  a  contractor  ordered  ten  men  for  state  highway  work 
at  $4.00  a  day  without  board.  At  these  wages  the  agency  charged  with  obtain- 
ing the  men  thought  it  could  get  them  at  once,  but  it  took  two  days  of  constant 
work.  Most  of  the  men  approached  said  the  work  was  too  hard.  One  quickly 
finds  out  in  employment  agency  lobbies  that  a  great  many  men  will  loaf  a  long 
time  before  they  tackle  a  job  involving  much  muscular  effort. 


ANTI-LOAFING  OR  VAGRANCY  LAWS 

Inquiry  into  the  present  outcome  in  states  having  anti-loafing  laws  indicate 
a  beneficial  moral  effect  of  such  legislation  and  opens  the  way  to  consideration 
of  its  use  in  California.  Some  doubt  is  expressed  as  to  the  constitutionality  and 
reports  following  somewhat  more  extended  trials  are  desirable  from  states  now 
utilizing  this  means  of  increasing  the  labor  supply. 

Maryland  and  Wisconsin  have  passed  recent  laws  aiming  to  bring  about  more 
extensive  occupation  in  profitable  work  for  habitual  loafers. 

The  Maryland  Law. — With  certain  minor  exceptions  (as  students  and  those 
out  on  strike)  the  Maryland  law  vests  in  the  governor,  as  a  war  measure,  power 
to  compel  the  registration  of  every  able-bodied  male  between  the  ages  of  eighteen 
and  fifty,  and  insist  on  regular  employment  in  a  lawful  and  useful  manner. 

Provision  is  made  for  a  Compulsory  Work  Bureau  to  assist  the  governor, 
their  primary  duties  being  to  assist  in  finding  evaders  from  registration  and  to 
find  employment  for  the  unemployed  in  agriculture,  cannery,  or  state,  county, 
and  Baltimore  city  road  and  street  work. 

Details  of  wage  determination,  machinery  for  carrying  out  the  intent  of  the 
law  and  penalties  are  fully  provided. 

The  Wisconsin  Law  (Huber  Law). — Wisconsin  Statute,  Section  697c,  generally 
known  as  the  Huber  Law,  provides  that  every  male  person  over  sixteen  years  of 
age  who  shall  be  convicted  by  any  court  or  magistrate  on  the  charge  of  vagrancy, 
vagabondage,  petty  larceny,  drunkenness,  or  disorderly  conduct,  shall  be  punished 
by  imprisonment  in  the  workhouse  or  in  the  county  jail  at  hard  manual  labor. 


73 

The  law  also  states  that  it  is  the  absolute  duty  of  the  sheriff  to  see  that  such 
persons  are  so  employed,  and  to  procure  employment  for  them,  and  that  for 
failure  to  do  so  the  sheriff  is  subject  to  a  fine  of  one  hundred  dollars  for  the 
first  offense  and  removal  from  office  for  the  second  offense. 

Under  the  provisions  of  this  section,  any  place  within  the  county  where 
prisoners  may  be  employed  is  made  a  part  of  the  county  jail,  and  while  employed 
under  the  contracts  of  employment  so  made  by  the  sheriff  such  prisoners  are 
constructively  within  the  custody  of  the  sheriff.  For  refusing  or  neglecting  to 
work,  prisoners  are  subject  to  punishment  by  solitary  confinement  on  bread  and 
water  for  a  period  of  ten  days,  and  are  subject  to  a  fine  of  not  more  than  five 
hundred  dollars  or  by  imprisonment  in  the  state  prison  or  county  jail  for  not 
more  than  one  year  for  escaping  or  attempting  to  escape,  while  so  employed. 
For  faithful  performing  of  duties  assigned  to  them  under  such  contracts  of 
employment,  prisoners  are  entitled  to  a  reduction  of  one-fourth  of  the  time  of 
their  sentence. 


EMPLOYERS'   RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR  1918 

Farmers '  recommendations,  collected  from  Farm  Center  meetings,  from  County 
Farm  Labor  Agents  others  than  Farm  Advisors,  and  from  private  firms,  details  of 
which  may  be  consulted  in  this  office,  have  been  compiled  and  analyzed.  They 
are  especially  interesting  in  showing  the  wide  range  of  opinions  possessed  by 
farmers  as  to  what  best  constitutes  the  solution  of  the  farm  labor  problem. 

Analysis  and  Summary. — In  general  the  following  half  dozen  farmers'  recom- 
mendations stand  foremost,  in  order  of  most  frequent  repetition: 

Import    labor,    most    suggestions    being    in    favor    (1st)    of    Chinese    or 
Orientals,  (2nd)  Mexicans. 

Close  saloons. 

Practice  bona  fide  exemption  of  farm  labor  from  military  draft. 

Develop  potential  home  supplies  of  labor. 

Provide  better  distribution  and  utilization  of  present  labor  supplies. 

Promote  anti-vagrancy  laws. 

Conscript  labor.  « 

As  may  be  expected,  the  farm  advisors  reporting  the  results  of  132  farm 
center  meetings  offer  a  great  variety  of  farmers'  suggestions  having  to  do  with 
bettering  the  19]  8  season.  Of  those  occurring  with  sufficient  emphasis  to  be 
outstanding,  the  following  are  significant.  The  figure  in  brackets  indicates  the 
times  a  given  recommendation  is  made. 

Close  saloons.     [19] 

Practice  bona  fide  exemption  for  draft.     [13] 

Utilize  potential  supplies,  i.e.,  boys,  women,  and  city  dwellers.     [12] 

Import  Mexicans.     [10] 

Conscript  labor.     [9] 

Distribute  and  utilize  present  supply  to  better  advantage.     [7] 

Force  loafers  to  work.     [5] 

Exchange  labor  in  communities.     [4] 

Increase  farming  efficiency.     [3] 

Provide  better  living  quarters.     [3] 

Reduce  or  suspend  highway  and  municipal  work.     [3.] 

Reorganize  public  employment  offices.     [2] 

Provide  plan  for  purchase  of  homes  by  workmen.     [2] 


74 

Import  foreign  labor.     [2] 

Import  Chinese.     [2] 

Furnish  transportation.     [1] 

Bring  labor  into  the  homes.     [1] 

Plant  crops  of  low  labor  needs.     [1] 

Pay  higher  wages.     [1] 

Use  German  prisoners.     [1] 

Pay  for  overtime,  nine-hour  day  basis.     [1] 

Prohibit  manufacture  of  non-essentials.     [1] 

Of  the  seven  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors  report- 
ing farmers'  recommendations,  the  following  stand  out  (figures  in  brackets 
indicating  number  of  times  opinion  is  advanced) : 

Proper  exercise  of  selective  draft.     [3] 

Anti-loafing  or  conscription  laws.     [1] 

Importation  of  Chinese.     [1] 

Prohibition.     [1] 

Standardize  wages.     [1] 

Better  use  of  high  school  students     [1] 

Sixty-two  of  the  seventy-three  firms  supplying  us  with  data  concerning  their 
1917  labor  experiences,  offer  suggestions  for  1918,  which  summarize  into  groups, 
tnus : 

Import  labor.      [30] 

Chinese.     [17] 
Orientals.      [6] 
Not  specified.     [4] 
Mexicans.      [3] 

Close  saloons.     [3] 

Close  saloons.      [16] 

Exempt  bona  fide  or  skilled  farm  labor  from  military  draft.     [15] 

Develop  potential  supplies  as  women,  children,  etc.     [8] 

Provide  anti-loafing  regulations.     [6] 

Conscript  labor.     [6] 

Eeadjust  school  vacations.     [3] 

Exchange  labor  between  farmers.     [2] 

Provide  better  living  conditions.     [2] 

Standardize  wages.  .    [2] 

And  a  single  recommendation  in  favor  of: 

Using  labor  saving  machines. 
Suppressing  I.  W.  W.  's. 

Forcing  labor  to  work  at  a  minimum  wage. 
Standardizing  prices  for  essential  farm  products. 
Bringing  about  better  personal  relations  with  labor. 
Surveying  situation  to  determine  needs. 
Substituting  crops  of  low  labor  requirements. 
Discontinuing  taking  of  best  men  for  farm  advisors. 


75 


EFFECT  OF  1917  LABOR  CONDITIONS  ON  1918  CROPS  AND  INDUSTRIES 

The  following  summaries*  present  farmers'  opinions  as  derived  from  the 
investigations  covered  on  pages  38  to  44  of  this  report,  concerning  effect  of 
the  past  season's  labor  conditions  upon  next  season's  crops  and  industries. 
They  are  obtained  from: 

(a)  Farm  Center  meetings  held  in  November. 

(b)  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors. 

(c)  Private  firms. 

Analysis  and  Summary. — In  general  the  farmers  represented  at  the  Farm 
Center  meetings  mostly  look  for  no  effect,  those  anticipating  decreased  acreage 
being  about  offset  by  those  who  look  for  an  actual  increase.  Of  the  County 
Farm  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors  indications  are  for  a  reduction 
in  acreage.  Of  the  seventy-three  firms  reporting  the  majority  of  those  passing 
upon  this  matter  look  for  a  decrease.  The  total  evidence  indicates  that  so  far 
as  farmers'  opinions  are  concerned,  as  represented  here,  the  tendency  is  toward 
a  slight  reduction  "in  acreage. 

Of  the  132  Farm  Center  November  meetings  reporting  on  this  matter,  a  sum- 
mary indicates  that: 

76  reports  think  there  will  be  no  effect  on  acreage. 
23  reports  look  for  an  increased  acreage. 
29  reports  expect  a  decrease  in  production. 

2  reports  show  substitution  of  tenants  for  owners. 

2  reports  find  it  too  early  to  predict. 

132 

Estimates  of  probable  decreases  are  too  indefinite  to  summarize.  They  can 
be  consulted  in  the  complete  tables. 

Of  the  seven  County  Farm  Labor  Agents  other  than  Farm  Advisors  reporting  on 
this  matter  two  report  no  apparent  effect;  four  look  for  a  reduction,  while  one 
looks  for  an  increase. 

Of  the  seventy-three  firms  reporting  concerning  their  labor  experiences, 
forty-eight  report  an  influence  on  the  1918  crops,  thus: 

An  increase  in  acreage,  3  cases. 
No  change  in  acreage,  17  cases. 
A  decrease  in  acreage,  26  cases. 
Will  lease  lands,  2  cases. 

Increases  consist  in  substitution  of  pasture,  stock  and  grain  for  crops  of 
higher  labor  demands.  Two  ranchers  expect  somewhat  of  an  increase  in  their 
field  acreage.     One  man  is  to  put  in  forty  acres  of  orchard. 

Industries,  where  named,  influenced  by  decreased  acreage,  are  sugar  beets, 
potatoes,  seed,  nursery,  dairy,  swine,  hay,  corn,  beans  and  new  alfalfa. 


*  Details  are  on  file  and  may  be  consulted  in  this  office. 


STATION  PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE  FOE  FREE  DISTRIBUTION 


REPORTS 

1897.      Resistant  Vines,  their  Selection,   Adaptation,   and  Grafting.      Appendix  to  Viticultural 
Report  for  1896. 

1902.  Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  for   1898-1901. 

1903.  Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment   Station  for   1901-03. 

1904.  Twenty-second  Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  for  1903-04. 

1914.  Report  of  the  College  of  Agriculture  and  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

1915.  Report  of  the  College  of  Agriculture  and  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

1916.  Report  of  the  College  of  Agriculture  and  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

1917.  Report  of  the  College  of  Agriculture  and  the  Agricultural  Experiment   Station. 

BULLETINS 


No. 
230. 
241. 
242. 
246. 
248. 

250. 
251. 


252. 
253. 

255. 
257. 
261. 

262. 

263. 
264. 
265. 
266. 

267. 
268. 
270. 


No. 
113. 
114. 
115. 
121. 

124. 
126. 
127. 
128. 
129. 
131. 
133. 
135. 
136. 
137. 
138. 
139. 


140. 


143. 

144. 

147. 
148. 
150. 
151. 
152. 

153. 

154. 

155. 


Enological  Investigations. 

"Vine  Pruning  in  California,  Part  I. 

Humus  in  California  Soils. 

Vine  Pruning  in  California,  Part  II. 

The   Economic  Value  of  Pacific  Coast 

Kelps. 
The  Loquat. 
Utilization  of  the  Nitrogen  and  Organic 

Matter    in    Septic    and    Imhoff   Tank 

Sludges. 
Deterioration  of  Lumber. 
Irrigation   and   Soil   Conditions   in  the 

Sierra  Nevada  Foothills,  California. 
The  Citricola  Scale. 
New  Dosage  Tables. 
Melaxuma    of    the    Walnut,     "Juglans 

regia." 
Citrus   Diseases   of   Florida    and   Cuba 

Compared  with  Those  of  California. 
Size  Grades  for  Ripe  Olives. 
The  Calibration  of  the  Leakage  Meter. 
Cottony  Rot  of  Lemons  in   California. 
A  Spotting  of  Citrus  Fruits  Due  to  the 

Action  of  Oil  Liberated  from  the  Rind. 
Experiments  with  Stocks  for  Citrus. 
Growing  and  Grafting  Olive  Seedlings. 
A  Comparison  of  Annual  Cropping,  Bi- 
ennial Cropping,  and  Green  Manures 

on  the  Yield  of  Wheat. 


No. 

271.  Feeding  Dairy  Calves  in  California. 

272.  Commercial  Fertilizers. 

273.  Preliminary  Report  on  Kearney  Vine- 

yard Experimental  Drain. 

274.  The  Common  Honey  Bee  as  an  Agent 

in  Prune  Pollination. 

275.  The  Cultivation  of  Belladonna  in  Cali- 

fornia. 

276.  The  Pomegranate. 

277.  Sudan  Grass. 

278.  Grain   Sorghums. 

279.  Irrigation  of  Rice  in  California. 

280.  Irrigation  of  Alfalfa  in  the  Sacramento 

Valley. 

282.  Trials  with  California  Silage  Crops  for 

Dairy  Cows. 

283.  The  Olive  Insects  of  California. 

284.  Irrigation  of  Alfalfa  in  Imperial  Valley. 

285.  The  Milch  Goat  in  California. 

286.  Commercial  Fertilizers. 

288.   Potash    from    Tule    and    the    Fertilizer 
Value  of  Certain  Marsh  Plants. 

290.  The  June  Drop  of  Washington  Navel 

Oranges. 

291.  The  Common  Honey  Bee  as  an  Agent 

in  Prune  Pollination.     (2nd  report.) 


Correspondence  Courses  in  Agriculture. 

Increasing  the  Duty  of  Water. 

Grafting  Vinifera  Vineyards. 

Some  Things  the  Prospective  Settler 
Should    Know. 

Alfalfa   Silage  for  Fattening  Steers. 

Spraying  for  the  Grape  Leaf  Hopper. 

House  Fumigation. 

Insecticide  Formulas. 

The  Control  of  Citrus  Insects. 

Spraving  for  Control  of  Walnut  Aphis. 

County  Farm  Adviser. 

Official  Tests  of  Dairy  Cows. 

Melilotus  Indica. 

Wood  Decay  in  Orchard  Trees. 

The  Silo  in  California  Agriculture. 

The  Generation  of  Hydrocyanic  Acid 
Gas  in  Fumigation  by  Portable  Ma- 
chines. 

The  Practical  Application  of  Improved 
Methods  of  Fermentation  in  Califor- 
nia Wineries  during  1913  and  1914. 

Practical  and  Inexpensive  Poultry  Ap- 
pliances. 

Control  of  Grasshoppers  in  Imperial 
Valley. 

Oidium  or  Powderv  Mildew  of  the  Vine. 

Tomato  Growing  in  California. 

"Lungworms." 

Round  Worms  in  Poultrv. 

Feeding  and  Management  of  Hogs. 

Some  Observations  on  the  Bulk  Hand- 
ling of   Grain   in   California. 

Announcement  of  the  California  State 
Dairv  Cow  Competition.    1916-18. 

Irrigation  Practice  in  Growing  Small 
Fruits  in  California. 

Bovine  Tuberculosis. 


CIRCULARS 

No. 
156. 
157. 
158. 
160. 
161. 
162. 


How  to  Operate  an  Incubator. 
Control  of  the  Pear  Scab. 
Home  and  Farm  Canning. 
Lettuce  Growing  in  California. 
Potatoes  in  California. 
White    Diarrhoea    and    Coccidiosis    of 
Chicks. 

164.  Small  Fruit  Culture  in  California. 

165.  Fundamentals    of    Sugar    Beets    under 

California    Conditions. 

166.  The  County  Farm  Bureau. 

167.  Feeding  Stuffs  of  Minor  Importance. 

168.  Spraying  for  the  Control  of  Wild  Morn- 

ing-Glory  within  the  Fog  Belt. 

169.  The  1918  Grain  Crop. 

170.  Fertilizing     California     Soils     for     the 

1918  Crop. 
172.  Wheat  Culture. 

174.  Farm  Drainage  Methods. 

175.  Progress  Report  on  the  Marketing  and 

Distribution  of  Milk. 

176.  Hog     Cholera      Prevention      and     the 

Serum  Treatment. 

177.  Grain  Sorghums. 

181.  Control     of     the     California     Ground 

Squirrel. 

182.  Extending  the  Area  of  Irrigated  Wheat 

in  California  for  1918. 

183.  Infectious  Abortion  in  Cows. 

184.  A  Flock  of  Sheep  on  the  Farm. 

185.  Beekeeping  for  the  Fruit-Grower  and 

Small  Rancher,  or  Amateur. 

186.  Poultry  on  the  Farm. 

187.  Utilizing  the  Sorghums. 

188.  Lambing  Sheds. 

190.  Agriculture  Clubs  in  California. 

191.  Pruning  the  Seedless  Grapes. 


